Deceit
by Thanks4Listening
Summary: Some people must live a life of deciet. Ava Hedsworth is one of those people. A heretic raised among overseers and The Abbey, she does what she can to understand the Void and what about it drives people toward the edge of madness. Like the figure of the Void she has an usatiable curiousity and hunger for answers. Some questions are, however, far more dangerous than others.
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you for taking interest in my story. Please review and leave some comments and suggestions to what I can do to improve the story.**

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Whitecliffe, 18th Day Month of Clans 1836:

"Milli, I'm home, how was your day love? What are the children up to?" Sedrick Hedsworth said arriving home from work and greeting his wife.

"My day was fine, nothing out of the ordinary. And as for the children," she smiled "They should be doing their studies." she mockingly yelled towards the parlor beyond the kitchen as she heard the children laughing. She gave a small smile and returned to cooking.

Sedrick crossed the back entrance toward the stove where his wife was getting dinner ready. He kissed her head and glanced to the doorway to see his 7 year old daughter Ava peeking her head into the kitchen. "Well, hello little dove, how was your day?" Sedrick said kneeling to meet Ava's smiling face.

She was adorable, and looked much like her mother. She had sandy hair and dark blue eyes as deep as the cool blue of Sedrick's Uniform jacket. Her long hair curled at the ends and had waves as deep as those upon the open sea. She had few of his features, the most obvious being his sharp angled jaw and chin line. Walter on the other hand was the spitting image of Sedrick and had his can do attitude as well. Walter had hazel colored eyes and shared the same jaw line with his father and sister. His hair was a brown color with auburn tints to it. It was wavy like his mothers and always seemed to be a bit messy. He was always in high spirits and making everyone else around him content as well. Ava, however, had her own little attitude. She was young but she was opinionated. She wasn't afraid to tell someone if she thought their opinion was stupid. But the most interesting thing about the girl was her thirst for knowledge. Her ever present quest for answers that no one could offer. She was incredibly intelligent, and even for her young age she was persistent on learning more and more. For only 7 she had a cunning that could match even the most experienced of rogues.

"Momma taught us about Bonecharms today, did you know that there are Bonecharms to make you sneaky! You don't even have to be a witch to unlock their secrets!" She said beaming with excitement. Sedrick gave her a hug and shooed her back into the parlor.

"Millie, we can't be teaching them that, I know that you grew up learning about it, worshipping it, bu... I hold a high position in Gristols army." Sedrick began, rising up and crossing the room back to his wife. "The Abbey would have a care if they found out that one of the Empires ranking officers was found to be a 'heretic'." He said with a sigh, this was not the first time they'd had this discussion and he knew it would not be the last.

Millie had grown up outside of Whitecliffe. The daughter to an unassuming Blood Ox farmer and his wife. Contrary to the Abbeys belief, not all heretics had been vanquished at the siege of Whitecliffe some had fled to the hills and made unassuming lives and passed their traditions down through generations. Millie's father had been raised opposing the Abbey and following the heretical beliefs that his ancestors not so long ago had been smite down for. Her mother the same.

Sedrick on the hand was of noble birth. Born in The capitol city of Dunwall, the middle child to Ernest and Clara Hedsworth. Ernest made his living as a barrister and Clara a socialite. His childhood was spent living amongst finery that few could dream of. But, he threw it all away for Millie.

At 18 he joined the Gristolian army serving under Emperor Euhorn Jacob Kaldwin I, he rose through the ranks and at only 22 earned a commanding position that relocated him to the barracks in Whitecliffe. That was when he met Millie. She found him to be the most interesting man to ever walk the earth, he fell for her as well. Then on the 20th Day of the month of Clans in 1823, one year after his move to Whitecliffe, the two had their first child out of wedlock. It was their son Walter, and not long after his birth the two formally wed. They had a wonderful estate in the city but Millie wasn't comfortable with a large waitstaff doing the work she'd been raised to tend to herself, so she watched their son and helped a few maids take care of the house. Then on the 28th day in the Month of Darkness 1830 the couple welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Ava.

From the outside they'd seemed like an ordinary family, perhaps odd that they didn't have a full waitstaff at their disposal, especially considering Sedrick's high rank, but that was written off to Millie's humble upbringing. What few to none knew however was that Millie was a heretic and would always teach her children not to fear the mysteries of the world and the magic plane known as the Void.

As Sedrick let out his sigh he'd embraced Millie, ashamed that the Nation he'd give his life for wouldn't give a second thought to his wife if they'd known her true beliefs. Millie relaxed into his embrace and rested her face upon the soft wool of his Commanders Uniform. She didn't think he'd ever be able to understand her insistence but she loved him for trying. She often thought how hard it must be to accept and love someone that worships what he was raised to believe was pure evil and a blight to the human race. But he did.

"I'm sorry Seddy," she began in a whisper, using the nickname that she often did. "It's just important to me that they grow up not thinking of my ancestors as monsters."

"I'm sorry it's like this." Sedrick said as they broke from their embrace. He was aware that there were people that worshiped the Void only as a means to an end, but he was also aware that that wasn't always the case. People could find comforts in the mysteries it held, just as people found comfort in the strictures, as he had as a child. If only people would be willing to accept differing ideas, ideas that challenged what was thought to be fact. But, he knew this wouldn't be the case in his lifetime, perhaps not even in his children's.

Sedrick wandered into the parlor after offering his wife one last peck on the cheek. The children were studying but rather than their maths or history they were hunched over Millie's fathers book on the effects of Bonecharms. He smiled and surrendered, at least for this one night, if Millie's family could live for generations mingling in a city full of overseers than he was confident they would be ok. He didn't care if he was labeled a heretic, he didn't care if he'd lose his rank and job, ultimately the only thing he'd cared for in the world were the two little people sitting in front of him and the woman that gave them to him.

"Ava, my little dove, could you help your mother set the table?" Sedrick said smiling at the girl. She gave a toothy smile and waltzed into the kitchen with her mother. "Walter, my little soldier, well not so little anymore!" Sedrick said with a laugh, in two days it would be his sons 13th birthday. He was growing up, and soon he could train in real techniques rather than Childs swords play. "I have something for you, son."

Sedrick crossed the room and grabbed a long box that was hidden in the linen closet. He sat it down in Walters lap and watched as his son carefully unwrapped and opened the box.

"Pa, I don't know what to say. Surely this is a mistake? Your first sword you received as a commanding officer?" Walter was shocked, the sword was quite valuable and he'd never wielded a weapon quite that fine before.

"Yes, my son, I pass it on to you. It's an early birthday present. I will be off tomorrow and would like to show you how to properly wield it. That is, if you'd like to learn of course." Sedrick gave a sly smile knowing how excited Walter was at the prospect of learning real techniques. He'd always wanted to be a soldier like his father.

"Of course, absolutely! We could start tonight if you want!" Walter beamed.

"Not tonight," Sedrick laughed "But first thing tomorrow I promise. Now I'm sure your mother and sister are done setting the table and I don't know about you but I'm quite hungry."

Walter marched upstairs to put his sword in his room and Sedrick walked back into the kitchen. Mille and Ava were sat at the small table in the kitchen, they often used this table rather than the large dining room. It was smaller, but it cut away the unnecessary space that would only cause for distance and lack of conversation. It wasn't what he had grown accustomed to as a child but for the past 13 years it had become his normal. Walter eventually found his way back downstairs into the cozy kitchen and made his way to his spot at the table. The family settled at the table and began to eat the Blood Ox Stew Millie had prepared.

"So, how was work today" Mille was the first to speak. "Didn't you say today was the day you'd be showing the barracks to the Royal Protector and Dunwall's guard captain?"

"Ah, yes." He said stirring the stew in his bowl before him. "I said I might be showing them the barracks, however it seems their mission is more dire than previously thought. I met with them but only exchanged pleasantries before they were off to meetings. I do hope they find some sort of aid." Sedrick sighed thinking of Dunwall, his childhood home. He hadn't been back since he was moved to Whitecliffe. The disdain his family had for his beloved was enough to keep him away. Still, it would be ashamed if it went to ruin.

"Do you think the Void would ever get crowded?" Ava spoke up, "you know if many people died at once. Momma says people are sick and that's why those men were visiting our city. I don't want to get sick." She was a very perceptive child.

"No, dear, the Void is large and doesn't exist as the world we know. If your souls passes to the Void as opposed to passing into nothing you don't physically exist." Millie said touching the child's shoulder in a comforting way. This seemed more like a philosophical conversation between two scholars than that of a mother and daughter. "The Void and the Outsider are nothing you need fear little dove." Millie's finished with a warm comforting smile.

"Oh I'm not scared, it's just interesting." Ava spoke with a mouthful of bread. She smiled at her mother and father. After this she remained quiet for the rest of the meal.

The family continued to eat Walter and Sedrick discussing a schedule to train and Millie interjecting that they could use practice swords all to Walters bemusement, what was the point in having a real and good quality sword if he couldn't train with it.

Ava in the other hand couldn't stop thinking about the Void. If people didn't exist there physically than how could someone live there? Was the outsider a person or was he the Void? How did people know anything about him? And as always she wondered silently to herself why it was such a crime to believe in a place that does seem to exist. She was so lost in thought that her mother had to repeat her name twice to get her to focus up and help clean up after dinner. For only 7 her mind fumbled around mazes faster than a rat looking for cheese. She was smart, perhaps even smarter than any child she'd ever met. She refocused on the task at hand and helped her mother with the dishes.

After dinner was finished the children played hide and seek it was Ava's turn to hide and she ran into her mothers library. She climbed the ladder used to get to high shelves books and hid in a cubby area that led to the attic crawl space.

She waited and waited but she never heard her Brother coming and right as she was about to flee from her hiding space she heard a gunshot ring out through the home. A moment later she heard her father screaming. She heard him screaming her mothers name through muffled sobs then it grew quiet before he yelled "Don't you dare, let him go, he's only a child." Ava then heard her brother scream. But not just any scream, it was bloodcurdling. The kind of scream someone makes while in pure agony. That scream would stay with her for her entire life time. Eventually it the shrieking sounds stopped and all she heard was crying, it was her father. She has never heard him cry and the idea of her strong father broken and sobbing shook her to the core. Eventually he said "That's all I have, you've taken everything from me." She felt tears prick the edges of her eyes but she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't risk a sound and listened as one final gunshot rang out and into the still night. And in a mere 10 minutes her family was gone. Her life as she knew it had ended.

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 _Thanks for Listening_


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for taking an interest in my story. Please review and leave some comments and suggestions as to what I can do to improve the story.**

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 _In the days following the vicious slaughter of the Hedsworth family little Ava fell deeper and deeper into a state of shock and depression. She refused to speak at all, didn't eat, and didn't trust a single soul. A week after the death of her parents and older brother authorities would find that her grandfather, her only other family to take her in, was killed as well. Eventually the Abbey became involved, lending a hand to find the ruthless villain who'd slain the family in seemingly cold blood._

 _Eventually, Ava met Overseer Armand. A young man only 24 years of age, he wasn't as jaded as the other overseers could be. He was the one to get Ava to talk and trust again. He didn't shame her for her books on the Void and occult. He talked to her, hugged her, told her she was going to be ok. And one day, one month after her world turned on its head, she began to trust again._

 _Armand was a fairly burly man with olive skin and grey eyes. He had brownish red hair that was cut short but not quite buzzed. He was from Bastillion, taken in the night from his fathers vineyard to begin the grueling trials to measure his aptitude. He had a precise skill for feeling the influences of the Outsider. Influences of the Void and it's magic. And of course he would, his mother was a witch after all. He could relate to Ava, and for that she could learn to trust in turn._

 _Armand was married, a woman named Marguerite who adored Ava. Eventually Armand and Marguerite adopted Ava and she became the daughter they had always wanted. Marguerite couldn't have children, she was stabbed in the gut as a child. She too lost family, she'd watched her father die at the hand of a back alley burglar. All the while choking on her own blood fearing she'd feel the coolness of the Void next. But she didn't, a city guard found her and got her to a doctor. She'd live, but she's never know the joy of having her own child. But, Ava, at least, was a close second and a welcome blessing in the couples life._

 _Marguerite was 22 at the time, she was from Whitecliffe and had been of middle class family, not quite noble, but not so poor that her father couldn't mingle with the high society folks. Her father was a good man, earned his living as a tailor and became quite popular with the elite of the city. Marguerites mother, on the other hand, had died in childbirth. Marguerite would never quite shake that scar from herself and always worried her father had slightly resented her, regardless of the fact that he often told her she was the light of his life and the only good thing to come of a dark situation. She was able to relate to Ava on the heartache of losing family so senselessly and Ava opened up to her._

 _Yes, the young couple had enough misery to last a lifetime and could relate to the young child. Margo, as everyone called her, would run to her bedside through the night when she would wake up screaming and Armand would teach her teachings of the Abbey while still respecting her mothers culture. There was no shortage of love between the odd trio and the blight upon Ava's life was short lived with Armand and Margo at her side._

 _Then, in the month of Clans 1837, at the request of the new empress, Empress Emily Drexel Lela Kaldwin I, the office of the High Overseer is purged of corruption and the leading members of the Abbey from across the Isles were brought to Dunwall to restore faith in the Abbey of the Everyman. One long year after Ava's life changed forever she moved to Dunwall with Armand and Margo. Armand had been offered a position working with the new High overseer, a position he couldn't refuse. So the trio lived in a beautiful apartment near the waterfront on Clavering Boulevard._

 _As Ava grew up she would find her way into the strangest of circles rubbing elbows with Anton Sokolov and even once kissing cheeks with Breanna Ashworth. She got herself a spot in the Academy of Natural Philosophy, no easy task, and studied the cosmos and the Void with leaders in the field. Of course, she didn't officially study the Void. No, her official field of study was the cosmos and it's affect on a maddening mind. She basically studied heretics and the influences that lead them to that point. In secret however, she studied the Void, its ever consuming state and why it could drive people so mad. She had no malicious intent, she was simply curious and intrigued. She wanted to erase stigma and hoped that one day people would no longer be persecuted or killed simply due to messing with things beyond them. Curiously was, after all, a human trait no one could deny._

 _Ava was able to do this through her sheer cunning. She played the fool nicely when she had to but also knew exactly what to say when accused of heresy with undeniable evidence. She wrapped people around her fingers, with grace an ease. She hated the game she'd become accustomed to playing, but not all overseers were understanding like Armand. Even Armand didn't know the half of what she would deal upon, but he trusted her as a daughter and would give her the benefit of the doubt._

 _So she went on playing. Paying a game that would never truly be won, only to find answers that no one but her seemed to want._

 **27th day Month of Songs 1850:**

"Please don't do anything to reckless, that you may regret during the feast." Armand Gurrell said to Ava. "I realize that you are 22, but Margo and I still worry about you." He finished.

Ava smiled at the man who'd raised her after that awful night in 1836. "What's there to do that's reckless Armand?" Ava teased. "The feast exists out of time as we know it! I could be a witch if I wanted to." She laughed.

"You mean you aren't already!" Armand joked back. Though she studied the Void behind closed doors she didn't worship it, and she remained respectful to the Abbey going as far as attending sermons with Margo and he. She was certainly not a witch, just a young woman confused and craving answers. "What do you plan on doing anyway?"

"Well me and some fellow students at The Academy of Natural Philosophy were thinking about holding a party," Ava said sweetly. "And I convinced Uncle Ernest to let me hold it at the old Hedsworth Mansion in the Legal District."

"And how exactly did you convince him?" Armand retorted. Ernest J. Hedsworth was an incredibly obnoxious and selfish man, there had to be a catch.

"I might have told him something about how I can see into his future and saw his wife finding out about his bastard child with a girl from the Golden Cat. I also told him that there was one way he could prevent it, and that I would make something for him in exchange for the mansion." She began trailing off.

"Whoa whoa whoa, are we talking magic here?" Armand said lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear.

"No," Ava began with a snort "well, he thinks it's magic but it's just a piece of washed up beachwood with squiggles burned into it." She laughed at her own clever thinking. "Seriously though Armand, you should have seen it, he acted like he was going to shit his pants when I told him I could see his future."

"Ava that isn't funny." Armand sighed as he returned to his chair behind his desk hiding his small smile while his back was turned to the girl. "What if he'd reported you to High Overseer Khulan? What would you have done them?"

"Well, I'm fortunate that I have an amazing and forgiving Overseer as a loving father figure." She said dramatically. "And I just got this back today." She passed him a report book simply titled Ava Hedsworth; Cosmos and Void Research Proposal.

"What is this?" He began with a confused look. He opened the book to find it filled with reporters on astrological signs relating to the current calendar as well as reports on the Void and its affect on the human psyche.

"This is incredible A." Armand finally spoke up breaking away from the report. "But why didn't you tell me you were studying heretical magic and it's affects on individuals?" He said curious to her deceit. That's why she'd been spending far less time with the family than usual.

"I didn't want to jeopardize your job." Ava stated matter of factly. "And I was worried you may be disappointed." She nearly whispered the last part.

"Disappointed? Why? You're making breakthroughs and finding out information no one in the Abbey has had the fortune of getting. I would never be disappointed in that." He said as he turned to the last page. "And it appears Khulan won't be either." He said with pride as he saw the letter of approval to her request for a position at the office of the high Overseer. It would be her official job to study the Void and its relation to the world and the citizens. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, turning in that report was one of the most terrifying experiences in my life." Ava admitted with a sigh of relief. "I had no idea what High Overseer Khulan would say. I'm actually surprised he hasn't requested I give him the information to locate the person I studied. He told me that he trusts my judgement and I may prove invaluable to Abbey if I update him on my current projects."

"Just, remain careful. I know you have a much different opinion on heresy than I and most of the empire, but please be careful. Remember the strictures, A, they aren't all hogwash and nonsense." He sighed, wondering if his words meant anything.

"Armand, I am fine, I will be fine. Trust me." Ava said standing up getting ready to leave.

Armand rose from his chair and walked Ava to the door. "I trust you, but there are forces at work that I don't trust. But that's enough of that, I believe you will do great work for the Abbey." Armand gave her a hug before handing her back the report and showing her out. "By the way, Margo would probably like to hear the news of your employment from you rather than me, she fears you're distancing yourself from us."

"I'll stop home before I head back to my apartment, don't worry." Ava smiled, "And Armand, thanks for everything you taught me. It really helped get me here."

"Wait!" Armand nearly shouted as Ava began pulling the door shut behind her. "How did you know he had a bastard son?" He asked curiously.

"I didn't." Ava laughed as she closed the door leaving Armand to sigh and hold back a laugh of his own in his office alone.

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 _Thanks for Listening._


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for taking interest in my story. Please review and leave some comments and suggestions to what I can do to improve the story.**

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As ava found her way through the Office of the High Overseer she stopped at the entrance to the yard. She looked around to see if any one was around and snuck through the door. She quietly slipped passed two overseers on the stairs leading down into the yard and crept stealthily toward the armory. Inside was an Overseer with his mask on, next to him a grey wolfhound snoozing at his feet. She began to open the door and slide into the small room. She crept up behind the man and carefully slipped her hands around his chest.

"I have something to show you..." she cooed in his ear.

"What good is my hound if she can't even alert me that someone's near!" He sighed. The hound offered an uninterested glance at the two before dozing back off to sleep. The Overseer turned to face Ava taking off his mask. "What are you doing here?" He whispered.

His name was Oscar Moore, he was 24 years old. He had dark almost black, shaggy hair that was almost always unkempt. He had impossibly sun kissed skin and bright hazel eyes. The young man was tall standing at 6 foot 2 inches, at least 9 inches taller than Ava. He was clean shaven and aside from his messy hair looked as though he belonged in some portrait in a mansion somewhere.

"Oh, you know, I was in the area and thought I'd see what you were up too." Ava said with a smirk closing any distance between the two. "And there's this." She stated showing him the report.

"Is that the answer to your proposal?" Oscar urged trying to grab the papers from her. She quickly snapped her arm to behind her back preventing him from grabbing them.

"Maybe," she started with a smirk.

"Well, alright then, let me see." Oscar replied.

"Work for it." She teased taking a step back.

"Why do you do this to me, what if someone happens by and sees you in here?" Ava merely offered a pout and and nothing more. She wasn't budging. Oscar folded his arms. "Can you believe this Bauble?" Oscar said looking at his hound. Bauble merely offered him a look of annoyance before wandering to the other side of the room.

"Aren't you curious?" Ava said opening the report.

Before she could say more Oscar snatched the report from her hands. Before she could protest however she felt his arms around her and his soft lips on hers.

"By the Void, why do you do this to me?" Oscar said breathlessly as he broke from their kiss.

"Because it's fun." Ava replied with a smile, with regained composure as if nothing had happened. She was good at hiding what she was feeling, and at moments like this he was jealous of that trait. He on the other hand was not good at regaining composure and hid his blush behind the report as he flipped to the last page.

As his eyes fell upon the big red 'Approved' stamp he whisked Ava into his arms and kissed her passionately. The two were so caught up in the moment they hadn't noticed anyone had entered the armory until Bauble let out a small unenthusiastic bark. Ava was the one blushing now.

"Yeah, I was just coming to see how things were going with that music box you were fixing." Said the intruding Overseer. "But now that my eyes have been burned from this sacrilege I can't see anything at all." He said sarcasm dripping from his words. He sighed and clutched his hand to his heart in a dramatic fashion before laughing.

"Haskill, Ava is going to be working here. Say hello to our first verified Void expert." Oscar spoke up. Ava, for once, was blushing and stumbled on speaking so Oscar spoke up.

Steven Haskill, medium built with brown hair and eyes to match. He was the same age as Oscar and went through the trials with him. The pair had become inseparable. They had become brothers, even more so than the average Overseer. He liked Ava but he knew she had an inclination for all things heretical and he always thought it was stupid of her to study it, but he underestimated her intelligence. He hadn't expected Oscar and her to become so close and hadn't expected her to remain respectful of the Abbey, but she did. Years ago when Oscar first introduced him to Ava he hadn't been fond of her, but she had proven herself to be respectful and kind so there was no bad blood between them. They'd actually formed a bond not unlike older brother and sister, him always giving her a hard time.

"Congratulations are in order I suppose." Haskill offered, he was always hesitant when it came to matters of the Void. "I apologize, I don't mean to be rude, if your intentions for the position are pure and you mean to help the Abbey than I do truly congratulate you." He apologized, he didn't want to seem rude or offend her.

"Thank you Haskill." Ava smiled still a little flushed. "My intentions are by no mean malicious."

"I know that, forgive me." Haskill replied, as he walked toward the music box Oscar was working on.

"It was just the crank." Oscar told Haskill as he looked it over. "It was getting stuck on a dent in the gear. I've fixed it." He finished.

"Good, thanks." Haskill cranked the music box to see it was working quite well once again. "These things are a pain in the ass to be honest. They get made somewhere we don't know about and if they truly break we must wait months for it to be fixed or get another one."

"Haskill, would you like to come to my Fugue Feast party?" Ava interrupted Haskills thought remembering to ask. "My uncle earnest is retiring to the countryside during the festivities and is allowing me to use Hedsworth Mansion."

"Well," Haskill began with a sigh "I was lucky enough to be chosen to guard High Overseer Khulan as he waits for word of the new calendar year, so I will not be able to go out during the festivities this year." Haskill stated sounding slightly annoyed. "One High Overseer goes missing during a feast and now 5 overseers must suffer through unending boredom while everyone else is doing whatever they damn well please. It's not right." Haskill snorted.

"Just think of it this way, you and those other 4 overseers will start the year off more pure than the rest!" Ava joked with him. Haskill was not amused.

"Lucky me." He stated plainly. "Don't go doing anything stupid though, please?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that? It's as though you all think I'm going to summon the Outsider himself or something." Ava laughed. "We are just going to get drunk and party, maybe smoke some white leaf tobacco, nothing crazy. And I will have an Overseer of my own to watch out for me." Ava reached for Oscars arm as he finished putting his mask back on.

"Ughhh, do we really have to go out?" Oscar groaned. "We still have 2 days left to call it off. Come one A, wouldn't you rather just have a night of me and you out in the countryside snuggled by a fireplace?" Oscar whispered into her ear as she slipped her arms around him. "People get stupid, and I just worry."

"Well don't, we'll be fine. I can't call it off, not after what I said to Ernest..." She trailed off. "Ah, but before you ask, no I didn't say anything inherently reckless, we can talk about it later." Ava interrupted Oscar before he could ask.

"Well, I hate to interrupt your weird lovers quarrel but it's almost time for shift change and we really should get back to our duties." Haskill spoke up. "Have fun and don't be stupid." Haskill offered before Oscar escorted Ava out of the armory.

"Wait for me in the lobby, I'll walk you home." Oscar said as he walked Ava to the entrance to the main building. "I'll meet you there in a few minutes." And with that Ava entered the building and waltzed over to the lobby.

"I see you fancy distracting my overseers Ms. Hedsworth." A voice called from behind her. Yul Khulan, High Overseer to the Abby of the Everyman. A burly man hailing from northern Tyvia, Ava had known Khulan for most of her life. Regardless of what she thought of the strictures she found Khulan to be a good man, not over zealous or quick to react, which seemed to be a pre requisite trait to being an Overseer. He was a strong leader, uniting his men under the idea of bettering people's lives through the strictures as opposed to tormenting those skeptical.

"High Overseer, do you come here often?" Ava joked. Khulan gave her a stern look until a smile broke across his face. "My apologies, I just wanted to share the great news with Oscar. Though Haskill seems a bit unnerved by the title 'Void Expert'." She finished pursing her lips to think about how many others may be uncomfortable at her new presence.

"As I would expect." He retorted cooly. "Not everyone is as willing as Armand or I to understand why you are so fascinated with the subject, many may see it as a bad idea they don't know you and even the ones that do will question your intentions. You've been honest with me thus far so I've no reason to distrust you. I truly believe that your expertise will be able to help the Abbey whether others see it or not."

"Thank you sir, it means a lot that I've got your trust. I wouldn't do anything to mess it up, I promise."

"You've become a fine young woman Ava. I believe you are destined for great things." Khulan remarked as he began to walk away, up the stairs toward his office. "Ah but one more thing, please refrain from tempting Oscar while on the grounds. I'd rather not get a note saying that someone found the two of you without pants in the armory." And with a small chuckle he was gone leaving Ava blushing.

"You ready?" Oscar said from behind her, catching her off guard.

"Yeah," Ava began as her voice cracked, she wondered whether he'd seen her exchange with the High Overseer.. "Haskill is a son of a bitch you know that." She said in a hushed voice as she thought about who may have ratted her out to the High Overseer. "Where's Bauble?" She inquired noticing he's didn't have his hound with him.

"Yes, I know, but he's my son of a bitch and my sidekick that I couldn't have gotten through all this without. And Bauble is staying here during the fugue feast, I figured it best since she gets irritated so easily, wouldn't want her going crazy in your uncles mansion." He laughed as he walked to face her. He was in street clothes, his uniform and mask in a rucksack on his back. He took her hand and the two began the short walk toward her childhood apartment on Claverering boulevard.

The home was less of an apartment and more of a house. Before the rat plague it was an art museum owned by its curator a lifelong aristocrat that went by the name Bunting. She remembered the day they moved into the home. It smelled of wet rot and crumbling plaster, surely the only reason they were able to afford such a house. It was in a state of pure disrepair. Armand was offered a small apartment paid for by the Abby but Margo found the home while strolling the waterfront with Ava and fell in love with it. Eventually he negotiated a contract and would rent it from the city real estate division. Margo helped to renovate the old home and made it into a beautiful manor that could match even the most esteemed estates in Dunwall.

Ava lead Oscar up the stairs and into the house. She walked from the main parlor and sitting area towards the steps until she reached the study located on the second floor. Oscar went over to the bookshelf by Armand's desk, rifling through books on the Abbey. He had been in here many times and since it was so close to the Abbey office itself it became another home to him. He often stayed here when he worked late shifts like today rather than traveling back to his apartment he shared with Haskill and another Overseer named James in the Old financial district.

"I can't believe it's almost 6 pm." Ava stated as she looked at the clock mounted on the wet bar across from Armand's desk. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"I don't know, I need to go home and get my other uniform but I don't work until after the feast." Oscar stated not breaking away from his search. "If you come stay with me I will." He said looking into Ava's eyes. "I've got the apartment to myself. Haskill is stuck on yard duty until tomorrow morning and then he must prepare for the fugue feast so he's staying in the barracks the next few nights and James is still in Serkonos investigating rumors of a witch coven. You could stay with me tonight." he said sweetly.

"I could, yes, but my apartment is much nicer and doesn't reek of Overseer." She teased. "I don't know why you don't just move in with me. I live much closer to the Abbey and it would just be the two of us."

It was true she lived much closer than he did, and being a daughter to Dunwalls aristocracy found her living in a nice apartment on the old waterfront. Just a short carriage ride across the Wrenhaven to the distillery district. When her parents died she'd inherited a lot of money, even though her father had cut ties with his family he still had alot to his name. It was put away until she became an adult and 3 years ago, when she was accepted into the Academy of Natural Philosophy, she took half of it and bought herself an apartment of her own.

"Because if I moved Haskill and James would be at each other's throats within minutes of my departure." Oscar replied. "You know how pissy Haskill gets. But I see your point, I'll stay with you tonight." He said giving in.

"Oh, and we're eating here as soon as Armand gets home, I haven't told Margo about my proposal yet." Ava smiled to Oscar as she left the room.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for taking interest in my story. Please review and leave some comments and suggestions to what I can do to improve the story.**

* * *

Ava walked to the grand stair case and began to ascend to the third floor. She roamed the halls eventually finding her way to her old childhood bedroom. Still, it was as she left it 3 years ago. The only tell that it was no longer hers was a small duffle bag of Oscars spare clothes and a damaged mask on the windowsill. She smiled to herself, recalling when they'd first met.

It was a chilly and wet night in the month of wind back in 1844. She was 16 and in a fog of melancholy that found her doing reckless things acting on impulse rather than thought. She had gotten into a fight with Armand that evening while at his office and sat out on the ledge 3 stories above Holger Square. She often sat there to collect her thoughts, there she didn't exist to the world and she watched everyone down below. She watch as a wolfhound pup chased after a rat on its way to the kennels, watched as two overseers shared a cigarette off in a dark corner where they wouldn't be seen without there masks. She saw a mother tug her young son behind her as they walked out of the building. Up there she saw it all, saw people do stupid things that she could have easily shouted to prevent and saw people do things she didn't expect. Just sitting there and watching was a good study of the human condition. When she'd had enough of the cold she stood up and crept over to the window that she'd come out of and walked back into the building. She hadn't gotten more than 10 steps before a voice called out from behind telling her to remain where she was.

This had happened before, all she had to do was turn around and they'd see it was just her and she could leave. But, as she turned the Overseer didn't recognize her, instead he questioned her. She became annoyed and walked towards Armand's office but the Overseer was close behind grabbing her arm and tugging her away. She broke from his grip punching him and catching him off balance. Then she got behind him and choked him out. It was reflex, she'd had to learn to fight dealing with petty criminals and mad heretics. Not that Armand knew but the circles that she dealt in where as merciless and cut throat as they were intellectual.

Realizing better of what she was doing and noticing that the Overseer had begun to stop struggling she let go. "Shit! I'm sorry, you grabbed my arm and I just kind of went into fight mode." She said to the Overseer that was now gasping for air on the hall floor. He had fallen on his face leaving a large dent in his mask.

"By the Void, where did you learn to fight." The Overseer said after a time, still struggling for air. He reached and took off his mask to get a better breath before looking up at the petite woman who'd just nearly choked him unconscious. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" Ava quickly retorted skeptical of the young man in front of her. She wouldn't admit it or show it in the slightest but she was almost caught up in his gaze. He was very handsome, and not much older than herself.

"I am an Overseer to the Abbey of the Everyman, and I belong here!" He said rising to his feet. For the first time Ava realized just how tall he was. "Now I'll ask again, who are you?"

"My name is Ava Hedsworth, if you must now, and I'm Armand's daughter." She replied staring up into his deep gaze. "Look, you seem to be new here so I'll let this slide, but never, and I mean never, grab me like that again." She finished with a glare "Otherwise I'll leave you unconscious and naked in the interrogation chair. Got it?" And with that she walked away.

Of course at the time she didn't know that the Overseer was Oscar Moore, and she didn't know that he stared with as much interest as she walked away as she had while he peered down at her. The two had a spark and even if there first interaction was icy he was swimming through her thoughts for days after they first met and she his. However if you'd ask her that night if she'd fall in love with him just 2 years later she'd have laughed.

Ava crossed the room toward Armand's things and grabbed the mask sitting on the windowsill as well as an old journal she had hidden under her bed and went back down to the study where Oscar was sat at the coach reading a book on Bonecharms.

"Can I have this?" She asked Oscar causing him to look up from the book.

"Sure." He said confused, "though I don't see why."

"This is the mask you were wearing when we first met, isn't it?" She said holding it for him to see. "The dent, I remember it."

"You remember that?" Oscar asked surprised. "Wow, I thought for sure you hated me then. I remember watching you walk away wondering if I should go after you again."

"Yes, I do, and no, I didn't hate you. I found you interesting to be honest and I actually thought you were quite good looking. I remember you standing up towering over me with that dented mask in your hands. It was amusing that I'd bested you." She said smiling while looking at the old mask.

"I love you, Ava Hedsworth." Oscar said placing the book aside and standing up.

"I know, I love you too." Ava said looking up into his eyes as she did countless times before.

Oscar grabbed her face and touched his head to hers. It was one of those moments you'd wish you could get lost in forever but soon enough Margo called from the entrance downstairs announcing that she'd gotten home and Armand would be home in 5 minutes. They broke from the moment, losing it to time. They walked down the stairs and greeted Margo.

"Ava, I'm so glad you're home!" Margo sang as she put her things away in the coat closet.

A few years after their move to Dunwall Margo began teaching children at the orphanage that had been set up in the old Whiskey Distillery. It was all redone and made into a suitable home for the scores amid orphaned children left by the rat plague. AfTer the plague the Distillery was being run by petty criminals, abandoned by both Slackjaw and the original owners it was refurbished, it was the perfect size for a portion of the orphans and there were two other similar orphanages elsewhere in the city.

"Sorry I haven't been visiting as much lately, I've been really busy." Ava said embracing her mother figure. "I have some great news to tell you though!" She added beaming with excitement.

"Well, what is it?" Margo inquired.

"I submitted a proposal to be a Void researcher to the Abbey... Khulan granted it. I have funding and won't have to study in the shadows any longer." She grabbed the report she'd left on the table in the entryway and handed it to Margo.

"Wow, A. This is serious, but you must have something in mind that you'd like to do when you start. What is it?" Margo said weary of her child's future. Though she lived Ava and trusted her the Void itself and all the mysteries it held terrified her.

"One word." Ava began with a sly smile. "Pandyssia." She twirled around giving a dramatic motion with her hands as though she were in a gown showing it off.

"I-I don't understand." Margo stuttered after a moment of silence.

"Well, Pandyssia as in the continent. I want to chart an expedition there. From a lot of my research I've gathered that there are still remnants of cultures long passed that may have had better insight to the Void and it's true impact on our world." Ava was thrilled at the idea and it showed. She spoke with such passion and conviction it was easy for anyone listening to get caught up in it, but Margo had become immune to such things.

"No." If was Oscar that spoke first. "I will not let you travel off to Pandyssia with some second rate guards and a team on mere intellectuals. There's a reason it's not a settled area and there's a reason for so much mystery. You can't, I won't let you."

"He's right, it's dangerous. Why do you need to go, couldn't you send someone to collect things you may find of interest?" Margo agreed with Oscar.

"Margo what I may find of interest may be mere rubbish to someone else. I need to go, I need to search old ruins and scout for artifacts, I need to do this because I see the value where others run off like a hound with its tail between it's legs." Ava argued.

"Who exactly do you have running scared now, A?" Armand interrupted arriving home.

"It doesn't matter, and it's a moot point anyway. I don't have permission and I haven't even brought it up with the High Overseer. As of now it's a pipe dream." Ava sighed disheartened by Margo and Oscar's lack of enthusiasm.

"Hello, that still doesn't answer my question..." Armand said waiting for an answer.

"We were talking about what I want to ask Khulan to fund when I officially start my job. We can get into it later but for now I'm starving so let's eat." Ava answered still a little defeated.

"Whatever..." Armand sighed to himself as he shrugged off his overcoat. He'd grown accustomed to one worded and inconclusive answers when it came to Ava and her studies.

Everyone made their way into the dining room and sat at the table dinner was set and Cynthia, their house keeper, was just finishing pouring everyone some wine.

"Good evening young lady, haven't seen you around much lately." The woman smiled at Ava. She's been their housekeeper since Ava was 11, when Armand was offered a second in command post to the High Overseer. This job came with more responsibility, the least of which not being that he would step up if anything ever were to happen to Khulan. But, with that responsibility came more money and a higher social status, all of course helping Ava to work her way to where she was.

"I've been very busy, my studies have consumed a great deal of my time." She offered as she reached for her wine. She'd decided to take Armand's advice and not tell a lot of people about her new job. Not until Khulan had announced it.

"I've always said you were a gifted girl." Cynthia said as she placed her hand on Ava's shoulder. "Now if there's nothing else I think I'll be leaving for the day." Cynthia stated, more so as a question.

"Thank you Cynthia," Margo began "I'll see you out. Be careful during the feast dear." She stood and walked Cynthia toward the door. And a moment later Margo was back and the family began eating.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for taking an interest in my story, leave any comments or suggestions you may have.**

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When they'd finished dinner and drinks it was pushing 8 pm. Oscar grabbed his extra duffle bag from Ava's old room and his toothbrush from the bathroom. Ava collected her bag, the mask, and the old journal she'd gotten from under her mattress earlier in the evening. When Oscar returned with his things they began to put their overcoats on to leave.

"I want to see you tomorrow young lady." Armand said in a stern voice as Ava finished with the buttons on her coat. "And yes I'm going to lecture you on being responsible during the fugue feast, just as I have for the past 8 years. So don't even try complaining and rolling your eyes." Armand said in vain, he knew she'd get to his office the next day and groan in annoyance as he pleaded with her to stay safe.

"Ugh," she started already, "fine. But you really should just trust me. I can take care of myself." She smirked at Oscar as she subtly patted at the mask in her bag.

"I DO trust you," Armand reasoned, "it's the other lunatics in this hellish city I don't trust. He had no confidence in people, growing up with a witch for a mother he knew all to well how ruthless the world could be. Especially when there were no rules to go by.

Ava smiled thinking about how grateful she was for Armand and Margo. "I love you." She said as she hugged Armand.

"I love me too." Armand teased before hugging her back. "But seriously A, be careful."

"Oh, are you sure you won't stay the night dear?" Margo said going in for a hug.

"I really can't, I have to go home and feed the cat then I have to go to my uncles home and get the key before the family leaves in the morning. But I'll stop by some time tomorrow. I love you Margo, don't worry about me." Ava said before breaking from their embrace.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her." Oscar said with a smile as he placed his arm around Ava's side.

"Says the Overseer that can't get his wolfhound to respect him." Joked Armand.

"Bauble respects me, she's just sort of... independent?" He trail off.

"I'm just messing with you." Armand laughed. Ava too cracked a smile thinking about the hounds defiant attitude.

"Alright, let's get going." Ava spoke up. The ferry isn't running now so we're going to have to catch a carriage." Luckily there was a small carriage stop not even a block from the house. One of many bridges that were redone and refitted after the plague. They'd have to go and get the operator at the booth to call for one.

"Thanks for staying for dinner tonight." Margo said to the couple as they walked down the steps and into the street. "Be safe!" Margo watched as the payed the carriage operator and sat down to wait before closing the door.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Oscar said with a smile. "Well, once we've gotten to your house that is." He whispered in Ava's ear.

Disregarding the tired operator with his hat over his face, snoring away, Ava grabbed Oscar and kissed him. "I'm sure I'll think of something." She smiled breaking from the kiss. They found their composers and Oscar grabbed her hand as they waited in a peaceful silence for their carriage to come. Ava rest her head on Oscars shoulder and smiled. This was peace, this was serenity, this moment was love. Not many people were lucky enough to experience something this wonderful.

Since the night they met, when Ava nearly knocked Oscar unconscious, the two had been pure fire. A blaze of passion greater than any firework display or raging factory fire to have ever have happened before. For the first two years she knew him they bickered. They'd become friends but the type of friends that always seemed to be in some sort of tiff. Eventually they'd gotten into it and their passion boiled over, leading them to realize that they were two pieces that fit perfectly together. Two clashing personalities feeding off one another, despite their original push and pull they'd figured out that they needed one another the way the tide would need the moon. Crashing waves brought in and out by a greater force. A force to calm, and a force to rise.

Eventually after a long 20 minutes the carriage rails beeped signifying the approach of an open carriage to take them across the wrenhaven. The snoozing operator jolted up, his hat falling to the ground, and pressed a button to make the incoming carriage stop. Ava sat down and Oscar waved a small thank you to the tired man who'd already replaced the hat over his face. He pulled the lever and they were off.

A short 10 minutes later they'd reached their destination. A small carriage station on the other side of the bridge. They got off and before they'd left the building the carriage was off to another destination to pick someone else up. Oscar grabbed Ava's hand as they walked the dimly lit streets and back alleys of the Old Waterfront District until they reached a row of tall homes on the docks overlooking a fish and produce market. They walked along until they reached house number 203A and walked up the small stoop to unlock and enter the home.

"Higgs," Ava called as she shut and locked the door behind her. "I know you're hungry." Higgs was her cat. A small calico she'd brought home as a kitten one day 2 years ago. She found him while she was in Potterstead studying a heretic that had allowed her to take notes on how his mark had affected him. She found the kitten at the train station near its dead mother and brought it back to Dunwall with her.

"I find it odd how much Bauble likes Higgs." Oscar said as Higgs ran into the small entry room. "How did I manage to get a hound that is the complete opposite of what a hound should be." He thought out loud.

"I think it's funny. Bauble isn't like most hounds, and you aren't like most overseers." Ava began as she picked up the cat and walked towards the kitchen. "You two were made for each other. And besides for as little as she listens to you, Bauble doesn't listen in the slightest to anyone else." She finished as she sat Higgs down and prepared some food for him.

"Well they were going to put her down. I couldn't let them if I could help it. And would you listen to people that wanted to kill you." Oscar said defending his hound.

"No probably not." Ava said standing back up and facing Oscar who was leaning in the doorway. She smiled at his towering figure.

He walked over to Ava and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to go get a shower." He said before walking toward the stairs and grabbing his things.

Ava watched as he walked up the stairs until he was out of sight then she rummaged through her bag and found his old mask. She passed her finger along the large dent and grabbed her bag before checking the doors and walking upstairs herself. The house was a nice size with a small kitchen and dining area, a small powder room, and a parlor on the first floor. On the second floor was her small study and a make shift lab, on the third one large bedroom with a bathroom and leading up a spiral staircase on the third floor was an attic space big enough that to be considered a fourth floor. She wandered into her study and placed the mask on the mantle above the small fireplace. Before she left she placed her bag on her desk and and pulled out the old journal she's gotten from under her old bed at Armand and Margos home.

When she was done putting the things where she wanted the left her bag and walked up to the third floor and into her room. She heard the shower going in the bathroom and opened the bathroom door. She slipped off her clothes and entered the shower with Oscar pulling him to face her. He kissed her and lifted her small frame to meet his, all as the steam and hot water enveloped the two. They were two puzzle pieces, perfectly fitting together. And when they were together, they were fire, they were passion.

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Ava woke the next morning to a knock on the door followed by a ringing of the doorbell. She'd wondered how long the poor soul had been knocking and what time it was. She rolled out of bed and put a robe on as Oscar snored away. She walked over to the window to see who was on the stoop below. There was young woman in a city watch Uniform and another city guardsman, very unusual let alone the unusual time.

Ava opened the window and called down below. "I'll be right down, forgive me." She closed the window and started to get dressed. "Fuck." She hissed to herself trying to scramble to get decent. What did someone from the city watch want with her?

"Wh-what's going on." Oscar stirred inhaling sharply as he'd just been shocked out of a dream state. "Who's down there? It's to early for this shit." He propped himself up in his side pushing his hair out of his face. He smiled as he looked at Ava struggling to look the slightest bit presentable. "I love moments like this." He laughed.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"I mean you, always buzzing around like a bee in a meadow. You don't stop, and to everyone else you're all composure, coolness unmatched by anyone I've ever met. Yet, behind the scenes there's this. I love that I know, and get to witness, that you're an actual human being rather than some strange entity that always has a sarcastic quip or instant reaction to any given situation." He explained forgetting about the people down below.

"Well, I like appearing that way, makes people keep their distance." She joked. "Ava, the Void Expert, un-human. Maybe an incarnation of the Void itself!" She said dramatically.

"Fairly certain that would make you the Outsider, dear." Oscar retorted.

"He seems over rated." Ava smirked as she buttoned the last button on her shirt. She went over to Oscar who was know sitting up with his feet on the floor and kissed his cheek. "And if I were, pretty sure my touch might burn your flesh. Now get dressed!"

"If the outsider was nearly as hot as you, I'd gladly be a heretic." Oscar joked. "So, whose down there anyway?" Oscar asked, realizing he still didn't know.

"Two people from the city watch." Ava said as she got some clothes out of Oscars duffle bag. "And no, I don't have the slightest idea what they want." She tossed him the clothes and he got dressed.

When they got down to the main floor Ava approached the door and opened it to find a young woman, not much older than herself, standing at the top of the stoop. At closer look Ava noticed the young woman's uniform was from the royal guard. And the man behind her wore the same uniform.

"Good morning, I'm Ava Hedsworth, what could I do for you today, there isn't a problem. Is there?" Ava offered all cool stoicism returning to her for the day.

"Yes, Ms. Hedsworth, my name is Alexi Mayhew, I've been sent by the Lord Protector to ask for your presence at Dunwall Tower today. I apologize for the sudden notice but he will be able to explain things when you get there. I assure you, nothing is wrong he is merely inquiring about your new position in the Abbey." The young woman offered. It was the best explanation she could give, for even she didn't know what exactly the lord protector needed to discuss.

"Ok, that's not a problem what time would he like for me to come?" Ava asked curious about the whole situation.

"It would be best for you to join us on our trip back, we have a carriage at the ready down at the station to take us directly to Dunwall tower." Alexis said.

"Could Oscar come?" She gestured toward him as he gave a small wave. "We have business to attend to later today." Ava asked, though she wouldn't admit it, she was concerned and he had always made her feel safer.

"That's no problem." Alexi smiled. "We will be waiting down at the station please meet us there when you are ready to depart." And without another word they'd left and walked back to the carriage station.

"Woohoo, we get to start the last day of the year getting interrogated by the royal protector!" Oscar joked. "I've only met him twice and both times he terrified me. Should be a fun chit chat."

"Something tells me you won't be chit chatting with him today." Ava said as she buttoned her coat and grabbed her bag making sure she had the proposal and Khulan's approval. "Come on, let's go." She smiled looking at Oscar who'd gotten his coat buttoned up. He smiled and grabbed her hand as they walked toward the carriage station starting this very unusual day.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for taking interest in my story. Please review and leave some comments and suggestions to what I can do to improve the story.**

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Ava and Oscar had made it to Dunwall Tower after their, seemingly long and awkward, carriage ride with the woman who'd introduced herself as Alexi Mayhew and the officer who Alexi later introduced merely as Jerome. Jerome didn't talk much, his remarks seemed limited to apprehensive glances and short grunts. Alexi showed Ava to a small office on the second story of the main hall as Oscar waited in the library just up from the main entrance.

"His personal office." Alexi offered as an answer. "He will be with you shortly."

And with that Ava was left alone in the small space. She heard very faint hissing over the fireplace and saw a Rune and two Bonecharms mounted in a decorative way above the mantle. She walked over toward the mantle and felt a laugh rise within her thinking about the Royal Protector to the empress of the isles openly opposing the strictures in such a way. But then, it occurred to her, if the Abbey could display them, why couldn't he.

"Ms. Hedsworth," she heard a deep gruff voice behind her, one she would not place within the aristocracy. "I'm Corvo Attano, the Royal Protector. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I was hoping to discuss your new position within the Abbey." He was weathered and much more rugged than she was expecting. Handsome but with unmanageable features much like Oscar. If it weren't for the whiskers and scars, he too would fit perfectly as a painting in some mansion in the estate district.

"Yes, I'd imagine you would." She sang, pure guile, as she eyed the Bonecharms on the mantle in front of her.

"What are your intentions with the job? What exactly do you want to do?" He said ignoring her questioning gaze. He sat down at his desk and gestured her to take the chair opposite his desk.

"What does anyone want really?" She said avoiding the question. "Peace of mind or answers to the unknown," she paused giving a devious smile. "or power... But regardless of ones true intent, they'd never admit they were after the latter." She finished as she sat in the chair.

"Truer words have never been spoken." Corvo laughed, "Perhaps a better question would be why?" He said tilting his head to the side. He'd been playing the game of deception far longer than she had.

"My mother was a heretic. Not Armand's wife, my real mother, my father served under the empress, well the late empress." She whispered the last part before continuing. "and was a ranking officer in the Navy in Whitecliffe. They were killed, actually, the same day you visited during the plague here." She paused looking to see if he had anything to say before continuing. "They were slaughtered. As well as my brother. And, before that night, Mother always taught us about the Void, the outsider, all of it. She'd always say that the Void was nothing to truly fear." Her voice caught in the last part as she tried to choke down a small sob.

"I'm sorry." Corvo muttered passing her a tissue in case she began to cry.

"No, no, its fine, I'm fine. Anyway, Armand was an Overseer that was assigned to help out when the murders went unsolved. He helped me and eventually he and Margo adopted me. They taught me about the strictures and I grew up the here in Dunwall for the second half of my life. I remember when we first came here how corrupt the Abbey was. Executions, senseless slaughtering, a torture room so caked in blood the floor boards are still stained today. I guess I want peace from that. The High Overseer thinks I'm doing it to stop put a stop to a worship of the Void but that's not true. I want answers to give people so they won't fear. Fear the Abbey or the Void." She said looking him in the eyes for the first time. "Time is a fleeting thing, there's no sense to spend it at each other throats or cowering in fear of one side or the other."

"That was a very honest and straightforward answer." Corvo stated plainly. "Why tell me? I mean, you don't know me, you've no true reason to trust me."

"Don't I?" Ava said looking at the reports on his desk. "You know the truth aren't you marked." It was more a statement than a question. "Besides, I've heard a great deal about you and lying, or averting your attention from the truth, is not in my best options."

"What do you mean?" Convo said, very convincingly, but Ava had spent time with others who were marked, she knew.

"You feel cold and hot at the same time, there's a humming of power in you." Ava began staring at his covered hand. There's a presence to you that makes you feel like your two people, or things... it's strange, it's not something everyone can feel I've just spent far to much time around such people and around magic in general. You don't need to be Marked to harvest the voids powers, but you know that already. And, of course, I know someone that's seen you in action, I studied the effects of the mark on his health and wellbeing. I'm confident in your math skills and am assuming you've added up who I studied exactly." Ava finished meeting his gaze.

"Daud?" Corvo nearly whispered.

"I didn't say it was a good equation." Ava remarked unable to stop herself. "Sorry... he doesn't kill anymore, he actually has a quiet life, I think he's trying to redeem himself." She paused. "But some people may be beyond redemption." She whispered to herself.

"You have a lot of wisdom for someone so young." He remarked at her words. "What did your studies find? I read your reports but the results are beyond my understanding at parts." He asked. He hid his anger and sadness well, covered by his bemusement of her studies.

"Well the subject showed increased endurance and vitality for someone of his age. Incredible vitality in fact." Ava paused considering the next part. "I think he may have a drastically increased lifespan due to the mark. Which, i find funny because from all my research the power seems to drive most over the edge. From all of the accounts and actual people I've listened to and studied the feeling of power the magic gives is always the same. Like waking up and having the power of one thousand engines at your disposal." She paused and brought her focus back to the Corvo who was looking at her with what she took as apprehension mixed with curiosity.

"I'd imagine it would feel powerful." Corvo offered, not budging but not denying. "I think your goals within the Abbey are admirable. There will never be any real peace while one side or the other cowers in fear. So long as you respect the rules set in place and keep me updated on all of your research I don't see how this could be a bad position for the abbey to acquire. Thank you for your honesty Ms. Hedsworth." He finished offering a small smile.

"Yes, that's no problem Lord... ah, royal protector sir." She hesitated unsure and nervous of the title. She'd associated with the aristocracy quite often but not like this. "Thank you for discussing this with me." She said showing no further sign of the nervousness she felt being under the microscope of the Royal Protector and Spymaster.

"Please, just call me Corvo when it's just us, and Lord protector is the proper title." He said as Ava was standing to leave.

"Ok then, it was nice to meet you Corvo." Ava said as turned to leave.

"What about the outsider?" Corvo called after as she was closer to the door. "You told me about your studies of the void and of magic and your general thoughts on it as a whole but you didn't say anything about the outsider himself." He said as Ava turned to face him once more.

"I find him..." she paused, "unremarkable. I've never met him, or tried to contact him, I don't see the point. From everything I've learned it's shown that the power he wields, the power he gives, is not actually his. It's the void. I think he is just an appendage to the void, an embodiment. Neither pure nor corrupt, neither good nor evil. Just... kind of there." She looked back to Corvo to see if he was keeping attention. "I think there may have been others before him and there may be others once he is gone but I've no solid proof just yet. To me he is, by all means, a symbol his decisions may shape how the power is wielded but the void is stronger than any one entity." She finished.

"Interesting, maybe we could discuss this further some other time." He said as he crossed the room and opened the door. "But for now, I'm sure you have matters to attend to before the fugue feast starts tonight."

"Sure, not many people, well of sound mind that is, wish to discuss this." She smiled.

As they exited the office And walked toward the stairs leading down into the library a voice called from behind just as Ava finished speaking.

"Well, you must be Ava Hedsworth, the void expert." It was a woman's voice, she sang her words with enthusiasm.

Ava turned to see Empress Emily Kaldwin standing 15 feet away near a fireplace in the corner of the hall. She had a warm smile on her face and she nodded her head at Ava before walking towards her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Hedsworth. I apologize for my lack of presence during your chat with my father but I wasn't called for and my alarm seems to have been turned off." She offered corvina curt but playful glare as she finished explaining herself.

"It's no problem at all your majesty, we were just discussing my new position in the abbey. I was just telling the lord protector that I plan to respect the limits and bounds of the abbey and will keep him updated on my findings." Ava explained. She'd figured that Corvo must have not called for her in case she mentioned anything incriminating. She didn't know if Emily had known of Corvo's mark or not. "And please, just call me Ava. Everyone in this city associates 'Hedsworth' with something I surely am not."

"Walk with me." Emily said as she motioned her head backwards. "I'd like to discuss it as well."

"Emily, I'm sure Ava here has some things to do. I can brief you shortly." Corvo offered.

"No, I could stay a while longer and discuss thing if you'd like." Ava said, something about the look on the empresses face told her she wanted to speak with her. "Perhaps I should let Oscar know I'll be a while longer though." Ava pointed out remembering Oscar down in the library.

"Corvo, would you see to it that he knows we will be a bit longer?" Emily asked as she began walking toward the elevator motioning for Ava to follow.

"Sure, I'll let him know now." Corvo said through gritted teeth.

Corvo didn't want this for Emily, didn't want her to experience the void or deal with the vexatious presence in it that enjoyed bothering him so much. That's why he didn't have her meet with Ava, after hearing what she had to say however, he was relieved by her answers to why she studied the void. He also found her take on the Outsider incredibly interesting.

He walked down the stairs and found Oscar standing by a bookshelf with a book titled "Histories of the Fugue Feast" in his hands as he was reading it.

"Oscar Moore, I take it?" Corvo spoke up causing Oscar to look up. "Or is it Overseer Moore?" Corvo had always dreaded interaction with the Abbey. Even before he was marked he found much of the abbey to be full of intolerant men that cried heresy at a simple snivel. It had gotten a bit better here in Dunwall under Khulan's guidance.

"Please, Oscar is fine." He smiled sitting the book back on the shelf. "I'm only Overseer Moore when I've got the uniform on." He offered a small laugh.

"So Oscar, you must be Ava's..." Corvo trailed off giving Oscar the chance to answer.

"Boyfriend, I guess. We've been together for 4 years. Friends for 6." Oscar said.

"Well she is talking with the Empress now, so she may be a while longer." Corvo told him. "So how do you feel about it? Your girlfriend being a void expert?"

"I worry, as anyone whose completed the trials would, but I believe she's doing great things. I believe she will continue to do great things. She's not scared..." he paused, "which concerns me, but she is still careful. I think it wears on her though, seeing the people who've been driven mad by the outsiders influence. I wish there was something the abbey could do to help them rather than question and ridicule." Oscar was looking at the ground. He was a kind soul, always disappointed in the abbey whenever a raving heretic was punished or killed, he knew there had to be some other way to deal with things.

"I can understand your worry, I've never put much stock into the strictures, far to many unanswered questions in my life to have faith in a lot, but I respect them. My mother was devout, going to sermons, talking with overseers. When I was a child and my sister left she recited the strictures every morning and every night. They gave her comfort that she could find no where else." Corvo said. "Perhaps that's the point, comfort."

Upstairs in the throne room Ava was following the Empress to her private office. The size of the tower was amazing to Ava, how one didn't get lost was beyond her, though getting lost amongst such luxury may not be so terrible.

"So what are your plans for the Fugue Feast tonight?" Emily asked as the two ascended the stairs behind the throne room.

"Nothing much, a party with some colleagues from the Academy and a few overseers. We're just going to drink and smoke and relax." Ava answered. "My uncle gave me use of the Hedsworth mansion during the feast so we're going to be there."

"Sounds fun, friends and partying. Sometimes I wish I had time for that but my father is an excellent spymaster and pretty much knows what I'm thinking." Emily smiled.

"I don't know how you do it, slipping away and escaping from Armand and Margo keeps me san." Ava smiled thinking about how difficult it must be for the Empress in front of her to catch her breathe.

"So about this job." Emily started. "I'm not concerned to tell you the truth, I trust the High Overseer and I trust Corvo, I would just like to know what you plan to do with such a position. I worry that the people of the isles may be apprehensive or fearful of you and the title." Emily stated clasping her hands together.

"Well, I can't tell you about how Khulna plans to announce it or when, I just got the approval yesterday morning." Ava thought out loud. "News travels fast to you in Dunwall Tower it seems." She smiled. "But as for my plans, aside from researching the history of the Void and its affects on this world, I just want to help find a peace or middle ground. No more interrogations, executions, manic suicides or pure madness from one side or the other. I grew up having learned both sides, respecting both heresy and the structures. There is a middle ground. I hope to help the abbey come up with better ways of dealing with heretics and even not fearing the slightest mention of the void. It's not really that terrifying to tell you the truth." Ava Paused to look at Emily who was staring at her intently, giving her undivided attention.

Emily pondered for a moment before speaking. "So you want to help heretics?" She finally said.

"Not quite." Ava began, "I want to teach everyone that there is a way to have a healthy respect for both sides. People that are utterly mad and start to kill are dangerous and should be apprehended but on the other hand a person that carries around a small bone charm for good luck but is otherwise an unassuming stand up citizen should not be treated as though they are trying to conjure up the Outsider himself. All humans are born with a natural curiosity and don't deserve to be persecuted for simply trying to sate that curiosity." Ava finished.

"That is an admirable goal, Ms. Hedsworth." Emily said. "I too find the abbeys punishment to be extreme at times and would like to find a middle ground. As long as you plan to respect the abbey and my office then I see no problem with having a 'void expert' within the abbey. Have fum tonight, but don't get into to much trouble. Wouldn't want anything to happen the Isles first and only certified Void expert." She rose from her desk and began to show Ava back down to the main lobby.

"Thank you for listening, and for you and your father both being so open minded and willing to listen. And please, just call me Ava." Ava said as they walked through the throne room and to the elevator.

* * *

 _Thanks for Listening._


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you to everyone's continued interest in my story, please leave any suggestion or just comment to let me know how my writings going so far.**

 _Natasha-white18_ _I'm glad your enjoying my story, if you have any suggestions just let me know!_

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Oscar and Ava were escorted to a waiting boat in the water lock to be taken to the High Overseers office. The woman steering the small skiff didn't say anything and the rode in silence across the unusually still waters of the Wrenhaven.

"Thank you for the ride." Ava smiled to the woman who'd taken them to the small dock on the waterfront of the Old Distillery District. She handed the woman two coins of 5. "For the trouble, have fun tonight."

"Stay safe, the Fugue feast can be as dangerous as it can be fun." The woman said as she looked at the coins now in her hands. Before Ava could say anything the woman shoved off and was on her way back across the river.

"She's right you know." Oscar stated as Ava slipped her hand in his. "People act stupid and irrational, we need law and order to stay sane and the minute it's taken away people can become beasts." He looked at Ava as they walked up Clavering Boulevard toward the office of the High Overseer.

"So we stay inside, just relax as I've been planning." Ava replied, breaking her stare from the statue of Benjamin Holger up in Holger Square. "I don't want chaos, my studies find me in enough chaotic and unusual situations to last 5 lifetimes. Besides we stayed in the city last year during the feast and we were fine." She looked at Oscar who was now looking at the statue.

"Yeah, we stayed in the Office of the High Overseer, with the windows and entrances sealed." He sighed.

"True, but we found enough trouble even still." Ava said interrupting him before he could continue. "That managed to be the most exciting Fugue Feast yet." She laughed and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Yeah, but do you know how much trouble I got into for sneaking off with you when I was supposed to be on duty." Oscar said breaking from their kiss. "Not to mention the lecture I got from Armand when he found your bra under the desk in the torture chambers. He wouldn't look at me for at least 2 months. Well, other than glances that could shoot daggers into my soul." Oscar laughed.

"Yeah, he gave me a lot disappointed looks, but no lectures." Ava laughed recalling Armands reaction. "I'd do it again, something about the thrill of sneaking around with you is fun." She said as a mischievous smile spread across her face.

"Did Khulan ever call you into his office and tell you not to 'desecrate the holy walls of the Office of the High Overseer'?" Oscar asked with a smile, saying the last part in a comical tone.

"No!" Ava broke out in laughter imagining how that conversation had gone. "I can see it know, you blushing from embarrassment with your nervous laugh." She continued to laugh.

"Laugh it up Ms. Hedsworth, let me take all the blame." Oscar laughed. "Oh well, I'd take the blame a thousand times over for you. I love you Ava Hedsworth." Oscar turned to face her, they were just reaching the statue.

"How comical is it that an Overseer has fallen in love with a woman that dedicates her life to studying the Void and all heretical things related." Ava said looking up into his eyes. The same eyes she'd gotten entranced by 6 years ago on that cold dreary night. "I love you too." She relaxed into him as he wrapped his arms around her.

Losing yet another moment to time they both paused to look up at the statue in front of them before continuing to the office.

"Funny how one man going missing is remember more than the slaughter of many more innocents during the fugue feast." Ava said speaking what they were both thinking.

"Scores are settled and lives are lost, but one man goes missing and, because he's High Overseer, he is remembered forever." Oscar said with a sigh.

They continued walking to the building in silence. When they entered Oscar left to go to the kennels to check on Bauble and Ava walked up the stairs to Armand's office. When she reached his office door she tapped on the slightly open door and announced that she was there.

"Hey, how's your day going?" Ava asked as she closed the door behind her. You will never believe how my morning has gone."

"Chaotic, securing the facility and studying the current astrological signs is always

the most chaotic part every year." Armand said looking up from the papers on his desk. "What did you do know?" He asked hesitantly.

"I didn't do anything really." Ava answered. "But I did get called upon to meet with the Royal Protector this morning. Oscar and I just got here from Dunwall Tower. He wanted to meet with me about my new position, to ask why I do this."

"Oh?" Armand said surprised. "And what did you tell him?"

"The truth." Ava answered. "I told him about my parents, about my mother. Told him about you and Margo and my background in both studies of the Abbey and the Void. I told him how all I want is there to come a day when people don't live in fear of the Abbey... or the void." She whispered the last part. "I am just sick of seeing people die on both sides because everyone refuses to listen and try to understand one another."

"I see. It's an admirable goal. I'm not so certain about it taking fruition anytime soon but everything needs a start." Armand replied after mulling over his response.

Ava looked away from Armand and stared into the dwindling fire of the fireplace. "Why didn't you ever tell me that my family was killed by an Overseer?" Ava asked not breaking her stare from the fire. "Don't deny it, I saw the report years ago when I was looking for an old report on an associate of someone I know."

"Because I didn't want you to hate the Abbey." Armand answered choosing to ignore the last part. "By the time we found out who'd done it you had just started trusting Margo, we had just adopted you! I didn't want my only child to hate me because of it. I didn't want you to see overseers as monsters who'd slaughtered for no good reason." He never looked at Ava as he spoke and she never looked at him.

"I've never been an irrational or unreasonable person Armand, you should know that!" Ava said finally breaking her stare at the fire as she felt a fire igniting inside her. "Never once did I lead you to believe that I couldn't be reasoned with, that I couldn't have seen that the actions of one lunatic don't equate to the actions of everyone else! I love you and owe you my life, you and Margo have become the parents I lost and so desperately needed. Nothing would have changed that. I would have understood if you'd just wanted to wait until I was older but no, you didn't tell me, even then." Ava was now pacing the room, she sighed and looked at Armand.

"I was selfish, I know that, I've known that." He corrected himself. "But after all this time it's been hard to work up the nerve to sit you down and tell you." He finally looked up at Ava, the daughter he always wanted, that he and Margo both had always wanted. "You have every right to be angry with me, but I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry, I moved past it long ago," Ava paused considering what she'd say next. "I don't even know why I brought it up now, it can't be undone. Finding out an Oversee, someone sworn to protect, slaughtered my family because of his jilted views just made it even more clear that this is what my life's work must be. I guess with everything that's going on and all I've accomplished I wish my parents could see, I wish I could tell my mother everything I've learned, tell her I understand why she clung onto her heritage so desperately, tell my father I'm careful that I've not gone mad from my studies. But I can't, and so I think about that night a lot lately." Ava finished feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes.

"I killed him," Armand said as he placed his hand on Ava's shoulder after he rose from his desk. "I killed the man that murdered your family, I followed him home and I slit his throat. He let me into his apartment because we were friends, as a matter of fact we'd gone through the trials together. There were signs of his zealous and hateful attitude towards heretics, but I looked past them, told myself he would never kill innocents in the name of the abbey. I fooled myself. And when I found out that he was responsible for that heinous crime I murdered him." Armand paused for a moment before whispering the next part, almost to himself. "And I liked it."

"What?" Ava said shocked, Armand was the most level headed man she knew. "Why? Your always talking about the right thing to do and respecting law and order."

"I couldn't wait for him to snivel to some court about how he thought he was doing the right thing by ridding the empires navy from heretical influence. How the boy had to be purged from this world as not to spread hate. I couldn't watch as he played victim even if he would ultimately be sentenced to death." Armand unclenched his fist, which he hadn't realized he'd clenched to begin with. "I just wanted to rid this world of his miserable existence."

"I see." Ava said. "Thanks, for everything you've done for me." She smiled and wrapped her arms around the man who'd taken on the role of her father for the latter half over life. She looked up at the clock hanging on the wall. "Shit! I told Uncle Ernest I'd meet him at the mansion at noon." It was almost 11:45.

"Eh, the old oaf can wait." Remarked Oscar who was now standing in the doorway. Bauble was sitting at his side, uninterested as usual. "Besides he's not departing for his countryside estate until 2 pm, now he just won't get to walk through and find subtle ways to berate you like he always does. I swear one day I'm just going to punch him." Bauble gave a small bark, seemingly agreeing with Oscars irritation toward the old man.

"Ok, ok, lets head out and get the keys from uncle dearest." Ava said as she patted Bauble on and the head. "Is Bauble coming with us?" She asked.

"Yeah, it didn't feel right leaving her here locked up besides, she's good protection." Oscar replied.

"Ha, good luck with that." Armand laughed. "The day your hound listens to you is the day I walk hand in hand down the warm beaches of Serkonos with the Outsider." He exaggerated.

"I'll have you know Bauble is a fantastic listener, she could go fetch a report off your desk if I asked." Oscar argued.

"2 coins says she doesn't." Armand said

"I'm with Armand on this one." Ava agreed.

"Ok, your on... both of you." Oscar said before squatting down to be level with the hound. "Come on girl, You can do this, show them you do listen to me and fetch a report off Armand's desk."

Bauble gave a small whine as she cocked her head listening to Oscar. She stood up and walked into the office and laid down in front of the embers that remained from the small fire. She looked up at Oscar before resting her head on her front legs.

Armand and Ava broke into laughter as Oscar walked over to Bauble and pet her head. "You know, I don't even care. We don't need to prove anything to them, you're a wonderful hound and you listen when it's important so it's fine. Now come on girl lets go." With that Bauble did listen and got up and started walking out of Armand's office before stopping to wait outside.

"Come on let's go, wouldn't want Bauble getting impatient and wandering off." Ava said as she wiped a tear from her eye from laughing so hard.

"Don't forget to go see Margo at some point today," Armand said walking toward the door to show them out. "She wants to have a conversation about the importance of discretion... after last years incident." He glared at Oscar.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure she does." Ava poked Armand's arm. "You know one night a few months ago when I got back home from Potterstead she got a bit tipsy and told me about a certain event that you and she were caught in... one not unlike what happened last year." Ava smirked, she'd been waiting to use this. "Something about the kennels in Whitecliffe..."

"Child, you are relentless." Armand sighed as he shook his head. "Visit Margo, be it now or later it doesn't matter." He looked up. "I love you, and for what it's worth I am extremely proud of everything you've accomplished."

"I love you too Armand, and thanks." Ava said to Armand as she and Oscar got ready to go. "And don't worry, I'll stop by now." They walked out of the office with Bauble getting up to follow close behind.

"Hey you owe me 2 coins!" Armand called after Oscar as he and Ava walked down the hall. Oscar threw his arm up to say he heard before they reached the end of the hall.

* * *

 _Thanks for listening._


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to everyone's continued interest in my story, please leave any suggestion or just comment to let me know how my writing's going so far.**

 _Garrisso \- Thank you for your interest in my story! And, you know how ol' O is, always keeping his interests at bay until things get real juicy!_

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Over on Clavering Boulevard, in the Hedsworth home, Margo was preparing some things to take with her to Armand's office. She had always stayed at the Office during the fugue feast, it was safer and Margo wasn't one to want to party or be reckless, she and Armand had gotten that out of their system years ago. Ava m, however, had not and just wanted some freedom to have fun with her friends. For as much as Armand and Margo trusted Ava to keep herself safe and out of harms way, to see their daughter focus her life's work on such uncertainties as the void, well, it was terrifying. The uncertainty she faced always loomed in the back of their minds.

Margo heard the front door open and walked downstairs, she knew it was Ava because the door had been locked. "Hello dear, I'm just getting some things ready to take to the Abbey." Margo said as she went in for a hug from Ava.

"Well, we won't be long, I'm late meeting with Uncle Ernest," Ava began. "And he's kind of a tit with punctuality." She laughed.

"Well, you know how I feel about him." Margo said rolling her eyes. She never liked him, ever since the day he'd found out Ava had moved back to Dunwall. All he wanted was to make sure Ava wouldn't go after the family fortune. "Ugh, that man is pathetic." She scoffed thinking about how he'd always treated Ava.

"He is, but he has a mansion, a mansion that legally I could go after since father was never taken off his mothers will. And while I have no want for a mansion I do need it for the fugue feast because 12 plus people would be rather packed together on my home." Ava smiled to reassure Margo that his rude quips didn't bother her.

"Doesn't make him any less of a tit." Oscar muttered as Bauble whined to agree.

"Oh Bauble, please don't growl at him!" Ava begged as she patted the dogs head. Bauble had never like the man and his habit of referring to her as 'that mangy stupid hound', did not improve her disposition. Bauble simply gave a short unenthusiastic bark.

"You two should get going, don't let me keep you." Margo stated as she hugged Ava again to say goodbye.

"Yes, you're right, I promise I'll come visit as soon as the feast is over." Ava said. "I promise I'll stay safe!" Margo was opening the door for them.

"I know dear, I love you." Margo said as they passed her to leave, she wasn't overly worried but she was a little.

"I love you too!" Ava sang as she walked down the stairs toward the street.

"Don't worry Margo," Oscar said. "I'll keep her safe, I promise." Margo nodded at Oscar and smiled before giving one final goodbye wave and closing the door.

Ava and Oscar walked back up towards the Abbey. The legal district, where the Hedsworth mansion was located, was within walking distance for them. Only a short walk from the street entrance to the Yard.

"So, about tonight," Oscar started. "Did you get food and alcohol and whatever else you need to hold a party during the fugue feast?"

"Yeah, I've got it covered." Ava simply smiled, obviously avoiding any explanation.

"So it's all there?" Oscar asked as Ava nodded yes. "Well how did you manage to get the mansion, food, AND alcohol?!" Oscar paused and sighed. "Don't tell me, it's probably nothing you should be telling an Overseer." He rolled his eyes as Ava simply smirked.

"He's scared of me." Ava stated plainly after an ominous pause. "He'd never say it aloud, nor would I expect him to. My father was always a little freaked out by the void when my mother taught us about it or spoke of it. I never understood why, but when Armand started teaching me about the Abbey and the Strictures it made sense. It's what the Abbey teaches, what it tends to breed; fear, uncertainty." Ava looked over at Oscar as they climbed the stairs just beyond the statue.

"Okay..." Oscar said drawing the word out, searching for explanation in her words.

"What I mean is think of all the hesitation that fear causes, and all the legitimacy it gives me when I have studied the subject." Ava stopped and looked around. They were in front of the courtyard leading to the Office now. "Ok, see that kid over there? One of the new overseers." She pointed and Oscar nodded in confirmation. "He saw the bonecharm I wear around my neck two months ago. Up until about a week ago he avoided me like a plague. But then one week ago, when I first offered Khulan my proposal, gossip about the "void girl" started and when he saw Khulan trusted me he wasn't as scared." Ava explained.

"So... what, people let their guard down?" Oscar laughed.

"No they believe whatever I say because the fear has lead them to total ignorance. I say one thing and any explanation I give is accepted." She said as she began to walk again. "I tell uncle dearest that visions of the void show the man he cheated 10 years ago coming offer him he is scared. I offer a solution, he takes it and is in my debt. Don't worry I only do it to him, but he's an ass and deserves it." Ava scoffed the last part.

Ava and Oscar had almost made it to the legal district when Bauble stopped and wandered over to the street entrance to the Yard. Standing in the doorway, with a cigarette up to his mouth in one hand and his mask dangling in the other was Haskil.

"Are you serious Bauble?!" Oscar yelled, startling Ava. "He didn't call you, and I asked you to stay at my side." Bauble walked back over to Oscar and whined. And as usual Oscar couldn't stay stern. "I'm sorry I don't mean to yell at you, you just need to listen a bit better."

Haskill began to laugh at the disobedient hound and how Oscar couldn't stay mad. "Shit, just this morning one of the new overseers was in the kennels cleaning them out and bauble refused to leave. I had to go get her and she followed me around until you got here." He finished.

Oscar glared briefly at Haskil as he always did when he'd make fun of Bauble. Bauble and Oscar seemed to be comic relief to the Office of the High Overseer but when it came down to it Bauble was fierce and loyal. Whenever there was any sign of danger she turned into a completely different hound and listened to Oscars orders.

"Well that's because she doesn't like new overseers." Ava chimed in scratching Bauble behind the ears. "They always seem to be more aggressive to the hounds then they need to. We all know she doesn't take that." Ava said with a small laugh.

"Don't you have some security checks to do, somewhere else to be?" Oscar asked.

"I'm doing it." Haskil stated. "I switched with one of the new guys, he's locking up the armory and I'm watching the door." Oscar said as he put his cigarette out on the sole of his boot.

"What to fuck, Haskil!" Oscar said getting upset. "You know how much I hate it when they move stuff around or get into things. The armory is mine and if anybody should be locking it down it should be you or one of my recruits." Oscar sighed letting his frustration go.

"Oh no don't worry it's one of my recruits. Dante... I think... I don't know I haven't remembered all their names." Haskil said as he put his mask back on.

"You have literally 3 new overseers working under you." Ava said with a snort. "You can't manage to remember three names?"

"Not when I have 12 other guys who, get this, actually know what their doing. Sure espionage and securing contraband seems daring and fun, but really it's just a pain in the ass. I always lose at least one to Oscar, every damn year." Haskil retorted. "'I thought we'd be infiltrating occult circles, I want to transfer.'" Haskil spit out in a mocking tone.

"I have 5 new guys, and 8 others under me and I've managed to remember all their names. And you can't do the 'well I have more people' bullshit because of those 12 five are our close friends." Oscar said as he poked Haskil in the arm. "And I've got 5 coins on Dante wanting to train under me. Cozying up with heretics may sound appealing and daring during the trials but when they find out it's mostly securing contraband, testing weapons sounds a lot more fun."

"Until they learn you also need to fix said weapons. And don't get me started in how complicated the mechanisms are becoming." Haskil said raising his arm as if to swat the idea away. "And besides what about checking in and keeping track of everyone's weapons. That's a lot of overseers, I'd choose contraband and canned hagfish while scouting for witches any day." Haskil finished.

"Is it always a pissing match with you to?" Ava said speaking up. You both have equally respectable positions with pros and cons. Also, we have to go so you can finish this later if you must." She sighed.

"Alright, alright. Have fun tonight buddy." Oscar said patting Haskil on the arm. His merely grunted in response.

"See you later Haskil, sorry you had to work." Ava said with a pout.

"No, no, someone needs to watch over this place. Have fun... just don't be stupid." He said with a sigh as he squeezed her arm, the most affection he alone could show. He patted Bauble on the head one more time before the three where off to the Hedsworth mansion.

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 _Thanks for Listening._


	9. Chapter 9

_**Sorry for the delay everyone, it's been a busy hectic month regular updates should continue for now though. As always thanks for taking time to read my story leave and comments I love to hear from everyone!**_

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"Be careful with that chest, its mahogany!" Barrister Ernest Hedsworth IV yelled at the small servant girl who'd accidentally knocked the broom against it. "Can't find decent civilized help anywhere in this wretched city." He muttered to himself. He was standing in the foyer to his home watching servants clean and pack his families necessities into the carriage for their trip to the country side.

"According to your own words you can't find decent people outside of the city either." Ava snapped from across the street watching and cringing at the knowledge that her blood had come from this. "Far be it from us common folk to be up to your standards." She said dramatically taking a bow as she entered the home.

Ernest sneered at her words and took a large sweeping step on his toes as he motioned for them to follow him.

"My staff shall not linger unless you are to allow it." Ernest began walking deeper into the massive home. "Against my better judgement no room is off limits, I know that the crowd you follow is from the upper crust." He gave Ava a quick glance over his shoulder. "How they associate themselves with you is beyond me." He said almost low enough for only himself to hear. Almost.

Upon his words Oscar began clenching his fists. Ava could tell he was beyond furious and managed to slip her hand in his to ease the tension.

They followed Ernest as he took turns wandering his home berating his servants and Ava. His 'final walk through' as he'd called it. Bauble stayed by the foyer being adored by the servant girl who'd swept the steps. Oscar and Ava had eventually slipped away and waited with bauble in the foyer for him to be finished.

What seemed like and eternity later, Ernest collected his staff and paid them before sending them off, Ava didn't want a lot of people to have to watch over. His family gathered at the carriage waiting near the entrance gate to the property.

"And that's it, here's the key, try your hardest not to break anything." Ernest said before turning to meet with his family and leave. But, unable to resist getting one last jab at his, to him, illegitimate niece, he turned around to speak. "You do know how very lucky you are to even be associated with this family? Correct? I suppose it's true, mother and father never did truly disown Sedrick. The favorite son, the golden child. He could wander off to Whitecliffe and marry that dolt of a woman and raise heretics and he still would shine bright to them. I bet all he'd have to do was write mother and she'd forgive him. Show father his rank, and he'd be proud rather than sullen at his choice to not stay in the family business. But it doesn't matter, they can't love you because they're dead. Just like your family. Just like so many you've known. Do you truly think your Overseer would hesitate to strike you down at the slightest hint of magic. You are nothing, you will always be nothing and as long as I'm alive I will be here to remind you that blood has no bearing on who you truly are." Ernest finished with a smirk seemingly proud of his outburst.

Ava seemed calm on the outside, she played her cards with ease and had something to say before Ernest had left.

"Yes. You, dear Uncle, are a great example of how blood has no bearing on ones self. You are nothing our family could have been... should have been. I'm unaware if you know this but, I have my own copy of grandfathers will. You see when I moved to Dunwall I had no want to find my family until it was to late, until the two people that I could've had any connection with were gone. I did however get the will and keep it for a rainy day. The mansion and all estates associated were never given to you outright. My father, which in turn went to me his beneficiary, had fifty percent but I've never cared for it. Why would I, I don't need a mansion in the legal district. But you know what, Ernie?" Ava asked slyly. "I just got a job at the Office of the High Overseer and am considering a change of scenery. Look forward to hearing from my own legal team." Ava turned around without giving Ernest a second look. She paused at the door. "And Uncle? Do stay safe during the Fugue Feast. You never know what terrible things are lurking around." Without hesitation or a wait for any response Ava shut the door leaving Ernest Hedsworth dumbfounded and without response for the first time in his life.

"Do you even realize how sexy that was?" Oscar said as he took his coat off and hung it in the nearby coat closet. "I mean, you shut him down. That was incredible." He laughed.

"I was going for more of a 'you'll be sorry' attitude but I'll take what I can get." She smirked, her carefree attitude returning to her. "Besides I'd take being nothing and happy over rich and miserable any day." She said patting Baubles head before she began to walk off when Oscar grabbed her arm.

"You are so much more than nothing. Um, er, that didn't come out right.." Oscar fumbled on his words. "What I mean is, you're everything. And not just to me, you are the light in so many people's lives. I know you don't tell me everything but I choose to believe that you are a symbol of hope to innocents that fear the Abbey, a beacon of what could be. And that's far from nothing Ava." Oscar finished holding Ava's hands in his.

"Thanks." Ava choked out getting teary eyed. She was great at dealing with emotions but, as it was, these small moments always had their effects on her. She smiled at him, content to stay like this forever. But, time had other plans.

"You know, I truly hope you know he was wrong." Oscar said after a few moments. "About me, you know, about striking you down..." he paused before whispering the last part in her ear. "You are my only certainty in this world and I'd sooner betray the Abbey than hurt you." For some reason his words partly shocked her.

The two broke away and returned to the world, Ava walking down towards the wine cellar with Oscar and Bauble close behind.

It was almost 4 pm now, much later than Ernest and his family were supposed to leave. But, of course, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to personally berate each of his staff before they left, as well as Ava. So, the short walk through wound up being about 3 hours in total; Ernest Hedsworth IV, a stark contrast to his well loved father and namesake, couldn't help but revel in one final rude quip to each and every member of his staff before the year ended.

"I swear A, hand on the fucking strictures, I almost punched him twice today." Oscar mumbled as they made their way through the house. His right hand gripped on the back of his neck like he often did when he was uncomfortable.

Ava looked back at Oscar and shot him a small smirk before continuing on. "You have to many tells." Ava laughed from up ahead.

Oscar stopped, resting his hands on his hips before letting out a sigh. "We could always play strip poker. See what those tells say..." he smirked. Ava laughed stopping as she got to a door.

"They'd probably say 'I'm Oscar Moore, and I'm bad at poker and seducing my girlfriend.'" She laughed hysterically at the thought as she opened the door and walked down the steps that it had hidden. Bauble walked passed Oscar, still standing cocksure in the hall, and let out a pity whine before following Ava into the basement. Oscar himself, close behind.

"Hey now, hey now." He called down the stairs as he descended into the darkness. "We can't all be masterful cunning, smart, beautiful, probably witches." He joked as he gestured dramatically toward Ava.

"Witch. Psh, you wish." She scoffed before letting a small smile appear. "Oh no, my magic doesn't work on your great power! Oh Overseer, have mercy." She said hands clasped, flipping her thick dark hair and raising a hand to her forehead in mock defeat. Bauble let out an enthusiastic bark.

"Where did you hear that?" Oscar asked eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

"Well, you know... Haskil... and James..." she muttered nearly inaudibly.

"You and Haskil fight like cats and dogs and James is almost never here! When do you three find time to get together and discuss... my life... or a dream that happened one time. ONE TIME." Oscar said with a look of pure betrayal.

"Oh relax, Haskil and I still bicker plenty. And we get together the three of us about once a month, I'd invite you but..." she breathed in sharply, "it's a pretty exclusive group dedicated to bullshitting and gossip. Besides you always seem to be working when we get together." She laughed.

"Oh sure laugh it up. I have one dream, ONCE." He sighed and looked to the ground defeated.

"The Houndpits, 9 pm every first Thursday of the month." Ava sighed. "Get someone to cover for you and meet us for a drink."

"You guys get drunk on Thursday's?" Oscar asked.

"Well your selfish ass always wants to spend the weekends with me so it's the only day we've been able to." Ava snorted. She was now looking over the large inventory of Bastillion wines and Dunwall Whiskeys she had available in the basement. "And drunk is a relative term." She smirked. "Grab 4 bottles of whiskey and 6 bottles of wine in a case and follow me."

They walked over to the elevator and took it up two floors. Once they got off Oscar looked around before following Ava who'd wandered into the large parlor that the elevator opened up to. Ava sat down the bottles on the table gesturing for Oscar to do the same.

"What about beer?" He stated.

"There's a tap." Ava said gesturing to the bar in the back corner of the massive room.

"Of course there is." Oscar groaned, growing increasingly curious of how Ava managed all this.

"Oh, don't worry," Ava laughed, more to herself, reading Oscars mind. "It was nothing. A few carefully placed words have made empires crumble to ruin, I can do the same so long as he thinks the worst of me." Ava sighed. "And the Hedsworth's have no empire, no nothing... Ernie's made sure of that." She gave a small pout, thinking of what her father had told her of her proud lineage.

"Well maybe you could learn a magic trick, scare him off for good." Oscar grunted in disgust seeing through her facade.

"Why, Overseer Moore, I never!" Ava gasped pulling at her heart. "The Fugue Feast has yet to begin and your already spewing heretical nonsense!" She stated keeping eye contact as she opened a bottle of champagne.

"What ever will the Abbey do?" He joked as Ava drank straight from the bottle. When she was done she handed it to him. They'd found there way to the balcony and looked out to the street below.

"Cheers." Ava laughed. "To being a shitty Overseer and a heretic whose infiltrated your ranks." She raised her hand and motioned a fake clink against the bottle Oscar had raised.

"This better be top shelf shit, because I'm pretty sure we outdid ourselves if that's what we're going for." He laughed handing it back to Ava.

"I'm a Hedsworth, do they drink anything less?" Ava said before taking a huge gulp. "Our names shit, not our fortunes." She laughed.

The two stood there joking and watching the sunset until guests started showing up to the mansion, it was only a little over an hour until the fugue feast would begin.

"Corinne, this is Oscar!" Ava said as she led a friend of hers from the Academy to meet Oscar. He raised his hand to say hello. "Oscar, this is Corrine she's been doing her dissertation on astronomy and is the reason I keep stealing Haskil's old textbooks on the Astronomical signs and their relation to the abbey... which to be honest I'm going to stop myself there because my ignorance on the subject is overwhelming." Ava said as Corinne smiled at Oscar.

"Oh stop it you!" Corinne said playfully slapping Ava's arm. Corinne had a slight Accent, as she'd been raised in Serkonos, "You give yourself to little credit. Besides you managed to convince the high overseer to hire a Void expert. That's huge, you have to know something to get that far." Corrine smiled.

"Hey Ava could I see you for a second." Her friend Nathaniel said pulling her away.

Nathaniel was the closest thing she had to a best friend outside of the Abbey. He was from Whitecliffe as well, he was actually childhood friends with her brother. They had reconnected years ago when they'd met again at the Academy of Natural Philosophy. He was studying medicine and often borrowed old anatomy books and research Ava's grandfather had accumulated over his life, she took them before her mothers sibling could.

"Shit, I forgot the book!" Ava said pursing her lips looking at the clock. "Their at my apartment." She took a pause thinking. "Im going to get them before they call for the feast to start. My apartments a 15 minute carriage ride from her." She said.

"Do you want me to come?" Nathaniel asked.

"Nah, you'll just slow me down!" Ava smiled and winked before taking her leave to let a Oscar know where she was going.

Ava made her way through the house and found Oscar out on the balcony alone looking down at the empty street. When she'd stood by his side he smiled at her.

"Hello darling." He sighed putting an arm around her.

"What are you doing out here? I thought you were talking to Corinne?" Ava asked as she settled her head into the nook on his neck and chin.

"I was, but someone pulled her away and Bauble seems to be a real hit with your colleagues." Oscar laughed. "I'm sorry, I can't get out of my head, can't get past Ernest calling you nothing. Saying I'd hurt you. What if he spreads rumors about you through the aristocracy? He needs to be stopped." He sighed.

"I know, he's an ass, but don't worry about him. He'll get what's coming one day. But for now we just need to worry about us and have fun." Ava said facing him looping her arms around his neck. "I have to go back to my apartment really quick to grab something I forgot. I promise I'll be fast and no you can't come it'll be faster if I go alone. I love you." She finished by pecking him on the cheek and walking back inside to grab her coat.

Oscar stared inside as he watched her walk toward the stairs and out of sight. He waited on the balcony to watch her make her way towards Holger square. She wouldn't take long, and perhaps it was the champagne, but he wasn't worried.

Ava made her way through the darkening streets as street lights came on and people locked their doors. She passed through Holger square without an Overseer in sight, the gates to the Abbey barred from the inside awaiting command from the High Overseer. This part of town felt desolate, and empty. Eventually she made her way to the waterfront and took the carriage rails to the other side of the Wrenhaven.

She made her way through alleys and side streets to her home right as it was getting dark. "30 minutes..." she mumbled to herself as she found her key. "30 minutes until it all begins." She put her key into the lock and opened the door into her home. The took one step inside and flicked on the light switch illuminating the room. All she saw was an overseers mask before everything went cold and dark.

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 _Thanks for Listening._


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to everyone's continued interest in my story, please leave any suggestion or just comment to let me know how my writing's going so far.**

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"Pffff..." the sound of someone sighing, as if annoyed, rang in Ava's ear waking her up. She hadn't remembered falling asleep, nor anything about the night before. She chose not to open her eyes instead bringing her hands up to her head and resting them on the... floor?... beneath her head. "Pffffffffffff..." the person got louder, and drew out their frivolous sigh.

"Ugh, SHUT UP!" Ava yelled moving her hands to cover her ears. It was childish, but she was annoyed. "I feel like shit... I'm sorry, please go get Oscar." She said returning her hands to rest her head on. She still hadn't opened her eyes, each lid felt to be a thousand pounds.

"No." the voice called. She could tell now that whoever it was, they were right next to her leaning over being a nuisance. She waited for a further response and when she got nothing she conjured up all her energy to open her eyes.

"Okay lis-" she started on what was going to be a rant about manners and not being an ass but stopped herself when she realized she wasn't at the Hedsworth mansion. She turned around on the cold stone and sat up. "Fuck." She whispered to herself as her eyes rolled back into the depths of her skull.

"Nice of you to finally wake up." She heard from behind her now. She didn't stand up, instead she brought her knees to her chest and and rested her head on them. She waited before talking or looking behind her, and when moments passed with no further response she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Finally?" She stated realizing cryptic messages were all she was going to get. "What do you mean finally? How long have I been here?" Ava said lifting her head up to see the Outsider squatting right in front of her looking her over as if a specimen to dissect. His dark eyes probed her very soul when they finally met hers.

"So many questions!" The Outsider said standing up and putting out a hand to help Ava up. She took his hand and once she was up he continued. "First, a question of my own Ms. Ava Hedsworth."

"Ok, sure." Ava said, adjusting her clothes. "Ask away."

"How have we not crossed paths yet?" He paused and looked at her for a brief second before continuing to pace. "Perhaps the better question is, for someone who has devoted their life to studying the Void and it's magic, why are you so unenthused by me?" He smiled wickedly as if the thought was so ridiculous it was funny.

"Well you know what they say." Ava gave a sly smile avoiding the question. "You should never meet your heroes."

"Ah, hero, that's not what I hear." He said vanishing from sight only to turn up on a nearby ledge.

"Yeah well..." she trailed off as she let out a single laugh. Why was she laughing, she wondered, his dark black eyes and looming presence had an energy and power she couldn't deny. It must have been nerves. "Im almost certain the void existed long before you did." She stated as she folded her arms and watched his every move and reaction. She managed to stealthily rebound from her nervous laugh and gracefully fall into her cool confidence once again.

"And how would you know that?" The Outsider stated, as he reappear just inches from her face. Ava didn't blink.

"How does anyone know anything." She smirked. "Why did you bring me here? I know how it works, you find someone interesting... or better yet, I should say, find that they have the potential to create pure chaos or absolute peace for a short while and bestow upon them the power to take their life into their hands and choose a path." She waited.

"You're very clever, Ms. Hedsworth." The Outsider stated cooly, unmoving from his positions half a foot in front of her. "But I did not bring you here." He frowned.

"Then why am I here?" She put her hands at her sides feeling her whole body go cold. Her face contorted along with her confusion. For the first time she noticed the smell. Overpowering, coppery, with a hint of sweetness. She felt the cool air of the void prick at her skin and heard distorted noises. It was all too much, too fast, and though she didn't show it on her face fear struck through her body.

"You handle this place a lot better than most, even if you are holding it together by a mere thread." The Outsider chuckled appearing next to her. He smiled a toothy grin that looked out of place on someone that looked so inherently malicious.

Ava took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Why am I here?" She whispered finally, through gritted teeth growing annoyed with his dodgy answers.

"Hmm. You really don't remember do you?" He asked pacing just in front of her.

"Obviously not." Ava groaned, the Outsider put his hand in the air and rolled his head as if to say 'I'll tell you'

"Someone tried to kill you." He stated theatrically as he clasped his hands together. Ava looked as though she were about to speak. "No! You don't know the best part!" He said wagging his finger. "They tried to kill you using the same dagger that created me." He smiled though he hated the idea. Humans, so ridiculously intrepid; he thought to himself.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up there skipper." Ava began, crossing her arms and moving from her position for the first time. "Why would someone try to kill me... never mind, there's plenty of reasons..." she whispered the last part looking down for the ground. "Better, why with an old dagger?" She said with gusto pointing at him as if interrogating.

"Why, Mrs Hedsworth." The Outsider stated walking toward her. "For me to know any of that, would be for me to know much of you at all. And frankly your not that interesting." He smiled before disappearing to a far off corner of the Void.

He was lying of course. Not only did he know who tried to end her life but he also knew the dagger was a sort of ironic twist. And he was lying when he said he hadn't followed her life. She was incredibly interesting, but, he knew she would never accept his mark. She was truly one of a kind, she was for lack of a better term, good through and through. With power from the void, she could do great things, greater than anything her future already held.

"Seriously?" Ava shouted from behind him. She had followed him.

The Outsider turned around with devilish grin. Ava took two large steps toward him and punched him right in the jaw.

"Huh, perhaps you're more interesting than I give you credit for." He smiled as he held his face in his hand.

"Am I dead." Ava asked as she huffed and tried to calm down. Her right hand was still clenched into a fist.

"No, Overseer Fredericks barely punctured your heart. But," he paused and took a step toward her grabbing her shoulders as if to brace her for this next part. "barely is the operative word." Her eyes met hers, had she understood? He couldn't read her, she'd put up a wall that was making things incredibly difficult.

"Hmm." She mumbled closing her eyes to think. What was going on, even with her eyelids tightly shut she could feel the outsiders powerful gaze upon her face. 'Uninteresting' she couldn't help but think to herself before his words had registered. '...punctured your heart...' she felt years prick her eyes, an unwelcome reaction. She opened her eyes back up to look at the strange being grasping her shoulders, dissecting her actions with his gaze.

"Would you like to sit?" He asked, still holding her shoulders.

"I'm fine." She sort of snorted at the concern behind his question. "Really, I'm ok." She put her hands on his shoulders as if to remind him he still had her in his grip, as her palms touched the leather of his jacked he retracted his hands taking a step back. She squinted. "You feel like a person..." she trailed off grabbing one of his hands before he had the chance to react. His solid form caught her off guard and had her mind asking so many questions. "... just like a fully alive... person..." she whispered to herself. "Holy shit." She said meeting his gaze as she held his hand in both of hers.

"Yes. What did you expect?" He snorted giving a slight laugh. He cocked an eyebrow at her before she returned to his hand.

"A limp, cold, hard corpse?" She state matter of factly. "Do you have a heartbeat?" She asked, but before he could answer she closed in on him and placed two fingers to his neck.

"Having fun?" He said, unmoving.

"Shh!" She scolded, "And don't squirm." The Outsider rolled his eyes but obliged. She stayed like that counting for 2 minutes. "Unbelievable" she muttered as she placed her ear to his chest. When she was done she faced him with a child like grin on her face.

"And, what are your 'findings'" he said using air quotes.

"You are incredible." She said with excitement. If she weren't so well versed in the true history of the void he'd laugh, but her current status made her a possible threat.

"So I've heard." He smiled at her, weary. "You are interesting." He said, lowering his voice a bit, turning away. "But you know that, as a matter of fact you know more than any other human I've encountered. Both in person and just observing." He spoke up and walked over toward the edge of slab they were situated on. "Do you have even the slightest understanding of what that dagger could have done. What it still can do?" He said placing his hands behind his back staring off into the void.

"Well if it was able to rebirth you as a god in the process of sacrificing your mortal self, the power seems interminable." Ava said as she paced toward him. "And by my ability to..." she snapped her fingers taking her brain. "What's it called..."

"Traverse." The Outsider interjected.

"Yes, if I'm able to traverse across the void I'm assuming some of that power runs through me as well." She took her stare away from him and looked out into the endless abyss. Greys and purples mingling as islands of marble slab floated aimlessly around. There was a strange beauty to this chaotic and inhospitable plane of existence.

Ava had gotten so caught up in the view that she hadn't noticed the Outsider had turned to face her. "So Ms. Hedsworth, how do you feel? I can only assume that when you wake up you will still have the ability to draw from the void but only time shall tell." He smiled, warm and reassuring. "You're in good hands, somebody found you and is taking care of you."

"Ava." She stated. "Just call me Ava." She rolled her eyes and let out a laugh. "Ernest makes his waitstaff call his 9 year old daughter Ms. Hedsworth. And I feel fine, bruised and cold, but in general fine. Do you have any other questions?" She asked never looking away from the eternal expanse beyond her.

"Ava." He corrected him self. He took a short pause chewing his next sentence carefully. "So, Ava, what say you? Friend, or foe?" He asked openly, if she were to have raw power of the void, there could be no ruse or lies between them.

"Friend. The last thing I want to do is have this beautiful shit show end because some half witted overseer recruit couldn't have the decency to kill me properly." She laughed making light of the situation. She knew how serious it was but she'd hoped he may appreciate the humor. "This is it huh?" She looked him in the eye for the first time since she followed him across the void. "The first day of the rest of my life?" She smirked.

"Something like that." The Outsider said cooly back at her. "One more thing, M-, ah, Ava," he began stumbling on the informality of her name. "Do I have a heartbeat?" He smirked himsellf.

"Something like that." She said as the void around her faded into darkness.

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 _Thanks for Listening_


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks everyone for your continued interest in my story, comments are much appreciated as they give me perspective on what you, the readers think.** Tha

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"She's stable, and healing at an incredible rate..." Ava woke to the sound of hushed murmurs. "But still, you're lucky to have gotten there when you did." The voice spoke softly.

"Yes, we will talk about that another time." A familiar voice spoke. It was a man but she couldn't place who.

Ava opened her eyes and looked around her. Three people were huddled in a corner talking, she coughed noticing for the first time the severe pain and tightness in her chest. The small group kept talking as a man, not much older then herself, came and placed a cool towel on her forehead.

"Where am I?" Ava croaked, feeling a sever burn in her chest with every word. Ava could barely keep her eyes open.

"Shh, rest. You're safe." The man offered a smile as as the group behind them broke apart and a young woman, who Ava couldn't make out, approached.

"Thanks, Wyman, I've got this." She placed a hand on the young man, Wyman's, back and offered a smile to him. As he left it had finally registered who it was. "Ava, how are you feeling?" The Empress spoke softly as she lifted the blanket to check the bandages.

"I'm..." Ava trailed off thinking for a moment about her recent encounter in the void. Then, she felt the breath in her lungs and smiled. "I'm happy to be alive." She let out a painful sigh of relief and sat up. "How long have I been out?" She asked.

"It's been precisely 26 hours." The Lord Protecter called as he approached the bed. "And no, the fugue feast hasn't ended."

Ava's eyes lit up. "Oscar!" She yelped.

"Relax." The Empress put her hand on Ava's arm and spoke kindly. "I sent someone for him, he's actually in my study. A close friend of mine and lieutenant in the guard, Alexi Mayhew, made sure he made it here ok. She's with him now." She smiled.

"Thank you Empress, I-" Ava began before she was cut off.

"Emily is fine." She said holding her hand up. "Besides, I was covered in your blood a mere 26 hours ago, we're beyond such formalities!" She let out a small laugh hoping it would keep the mood of the room light.

"You're healing at a remarkable pace." A voice called from the far corner of the room.

"Yes, almost too remarkable." Corvo commented under his breath suspicious of Ava.

"You haven't bled through your bandages in hours and your blood started to coagulate almost as soon as I was done suturing your wound shut." A lanky man appeared and rubbed his chin perplexed to why Ava's body was almost healing itself in a matter of hours. "I'm Dr. Theodore Derrand. Trusted physician to the court of the empire of the isles." He put his hand out and shook Ava's.

"Thank you Dr. Derrand, I probably wouldn't be alive without your help." Ava said nervous.

"Well normally I would agree but given your ability to heal I find that to be nonsense." He laughed and cocked an eyebrow. "Say, would you mind if I ran some tests one day? After things have settled of course." He asked cautiously.

Ava looked nervous and, for the first time in her life, was having difficulty falling back into her cool confidence she was about to stutter an excuse before Corvo interrupted.

"I think we should let Ms. Hedsworth rest and discuss this at another time." He said putting his hand and Dr. Derrand's shoulder steering him towards the stairs. The two of them continued talking until they were out of earshot. Then it was just Ava and Emily in the room.

"So, where exactly am I?" Ava asked as she put her feet on the floor "And how did I get here?" She looked quizzically at Emily.

"Alright, I'm just going to be honest with you." Emily said putting her hands up in the air. "I snuck out of Dunwall tower and went to your address to see if I could catch you before you went to your party. It was about 15 minutes until the Fugue Feast started and it was me, Alexi, and Wyman." She looked at Ava to try to read her reaction. "Well, when we got there the door to your apartment was open and naturally I was curious and walked in. When we found you like that we brought you back here to Dunwall tower. And we are currently sitting out the Feast in my personal quarters and my safe room. We are in my safe room, a room that very few people know about but you needed a place to stay and I had a stash of first aid supplies in here." She smiled at Ava hoping the story satisfied her.

"Thank you." Ava said looking at Emily. "No, seriously, I cannot thank you enough." She sighed and looked at the ground. "Can I see Oscar? And do you happen to have anything to eat?"

"Yes, and what would you like?" Emily asked. She was kind, and made for a formidable Empress. "My waitstaff is down to the skeleton crew, but I trust each one of them and Gerard is a phenomenal chef."

"I feel like I could eat my weight in food right about now but I'll just start with a bowl of blood ox stew if that's easy enough." Ava gave a small laugh.

"One Oscar and a bowl of Blood Ox stew coming right up. You stay down here and rest!" Emily said as she headed toward the stairs.

"Wait!" Ava called after her. Emily turned on her heel, waited and listened. "Also a whole loaf of bread. And some butter... And tea!" Ava finished smiling at the empress.

"Bread, butter, and tea, got it! And I'll get you some fresh clothes as well, but for now there's a robe next to the bed." Emily said before disappearing from sight.

Ava stood up, put in the robe by the bed without tying it, and walked over to a small sink with a mirror. Her chest was wrapped tightly with bandages and she only had underwear on. She gasped remembering her ability to transverse through the void and quickly looked over her hands with agonizing scrutiny. When she saw no mark she sighed in relief. However, her relief was short lived when she heard The familiar sound of Bauble's whine.

"What's going on Ava?" Oscar said as he hurried down the stairs. "Shit, what happened?!" He said in shock and horror as he looked over her bandaged and bruised body.

"Oh, you know, just a 'fan' of my work making me a martyr." She said trying to play it cool, but, no sooner then the words fell out of her mouth were tears pricking at her eyes. "By the void, how many times can I cry in one day." Oscar took her into a big hug. She relaxed into him and took in the familiar scent. "I'm so sorry Oscar." She began sobbing into his chest.

"For what? It's not your fault you were attacked." He said softly as she wept. "Did you see who it was? You don't have to think about it now, I was just wondering." He nearly whispered.

"There's so much for me to tell you." Ava said wiping her eyes and backing away from Oscar. "But yes, I know who did it." She frowned and stared at the ground. "Armand absolutely cannot know about this, not yet." She met Oscars gaze, she was gravely serious.

"Ava what happened? No one would tell me anything other than that you were attacked and badly wounded." He grabbed her hand. "Don't block me out, dear, I'm here for you."

She took her hand back and took a deep breath. She stared at the floor unable to meet oscars gaze. "It was an overseer. Overseer Fredericks, specifically. He tried to kill me with the sacrificial dagger that was stored in the archives. And before you ask no I don't know where the dagger is, but I need to find it." She said never looking up from the floor boards.

"Consider it found." Corvo called from at the top of the steps. "Find me in Emily's study when you're finished talking. I have the dagger... and some questions." With only a curt look at Ava, Corvo walked out of the safe room and left her and Oscar alone.

Bauble made her way over to Ava but rather than run against her legs as she usually did she stopped, cocked her head, and let out a soft howl. Ava squatted down and put her hand out for Bauble. "Come on girl, I know I'm different, but I'm still me." Ava spoke softly and convinced the hound to walk the rest of the way toward her.

"Please, Ava, tell me what's going on." Oscar pleaded as Ava looked into his beautiful hazel eyes.

"It's easier to show you." As she spoke she tried to draw on the power she felt coursing through her veins, the same power she felt coursing through the Outsiders veins. Finally when she went to traverse she reappeared with a shadowy mist behind Oscar. "I guess you could call me a witch." She said sheepishly.

Startled Oscar turned around and gave her a confused look. "How?" Was the only syllable he could mutter.

"That dagger is damn sure more than old. And in the wrong hands could tear apart this world as we know it." She said approaching him slowly. She had expected him to back away, to panic. Oscar, instead, walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her. "I thought you would hate me." She sighed into to familiar fabric of his jacket.

"Never." He cooed in her ear. "You've taken my heart and will have it for eternity. Can you please explain how this happened?" He asked finally breaking away from her and looking into her eyes. Bauble let out a small bark but came over and sat at their feet.

"That dagger, it..." she sighed thinking of how to explain this to an overseer. "It kind of created the void as we know it." She made a pout thinking as she combed her fingers through her hair. "To put it lightly, I was right, the Abbey was wrong. The voids lasted much longer than the Outsider. Well I mean it had to have right? All he really said was that the dagger made him. But it didn't make the void too... it couldn't have..." she began trailing off getting that crazed look in her eyes like she did each time she chased an idea or theory.

"Whoa, what, you met it?" Oscar interrupted.

"Yes. I met him." Ava corrected. "But that's not the point Oscar, keep up!" She snapped, she was starting to feel back to her self. "Anyway, I was stabbed with that dagger, and while I'm not sure how he was killed fatal wounds with such a weapon seem to give one immense power. Im actually still not sure what I can do." She finished with a wide smile.

"You're loving this aren't you?" He asked rolling his eyes as Bauble yipped at Ava.

"Maybe a little. But I probably will regret saying that a few days from now." She reached for his face and drew him in for a long passionate kiss. "I just can't believe I'm alive. Are you sure you don't want to burn me at the stake? Maybe hanged in Holger Square?" She teased.

"No, maybe I'll torture you when you're feeling more up to it, but we'll save that for date night." He smiled, joking. "I'm just glad you're alive as well." He kissed her again only breaking apart when a small cough was heard from above them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I have some clean clothes for you." Emily said as she descended the stairs with a stack of clothes in her hands. "Gerard is preparing the food now and I'll let you know when it's done. But, for now, my father is rather insistent on speaking with you." She stopped, handing Ava the clothes. "I'll let him know you'll be up as soon as your dressed." She said as she walked away and out of the room.

Ava quickly dressed in the clothes she was given, simple yet stylish, not unlike her own wardrobe. As soon as she was dressed she and Oscar walked up the stairs and he led her to the study where he spent most of his time waiting.

"Here we are, any idea what he wants. Other than giving you the dagger of course." Oscar asked.

"I've got some idea. Nothing to concern your pretty little Overseer head over." She smiled touching his cheek. She turned away from Oscar and turned the handle to the door. "Well, here goes nothing." She whispered to herself taking a deep breath walked into the small study.

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 _Thanks for listening._


	12. Chapter 12

**Big thanks to everyone continued interest in my story and writing, it's a lot of fun. Please leave any comments you may have in my writing or story in general to help prove it over all.**

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Ava walked into the small study closing the door shut behind her. Corvo was standing a few feet from the door, arms behind his back as he stared at a large painting of a run down old pub.

"Hey, that's the Houndpits!" Ava said as she recognized the pub in the painting. "Oscars roommates and I have a running tab there." She frowned thinking of James and Haskil.

"Well, it holds many memories that's for certain." Corvo said turning to face Ava. "Things I'd like to stay hidden that I'm sure Daud told you." He walked toward a desk in the corner and Ava's eyes followed him.

"That you're marked." Ava said as she closed the distance between her and the desk. When she got to the desk she felt a hum in her veins and a sharp but distant ringing in her ears. She looked on the desk and saw the dagger sitting there, covered in dried blood and humming with power. "It's funny," she began as she stared at the dagger in front of her. "My whole damned life has been spent searching for answers. Why do people kill over this magic? How can someone be driven to the edge? What is the void? But I get some semblance of an answer and all I can do is struggle to keep grounded." She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Why do you care so much? If you don't mind my asking." He asked as she met his gaze. Though he didn't outwardly show it he seemed somewhat annoyed with this whole situation.

"Dad was a Commander in the Gristolian army. Mom was a 'heretic' that still practiced and preached, to me and my brother, the importance of the old ways. My father was brought up in a family that had always respected the Abbey and it's ways, yet he still fell in love with my mom. I ask these questions and yearned for answers because it was always so strange to me that people are looked at as some sort of blight on the humanity because they worship something other than the strictures." She sighed and crossed her arms. "It doesn't matter, because whether you worship a black eyed demon god, the void itself, the strictures, or just your fucking cat, we're all gonna wind up dead. That's the only certainty I've ever faced."

"It must have been strange being raised by Armand then." Corvo suggested as he gestured for Ava to sit down.

"Not really," she began as she collapsed into the chair in front of the desk. "he was like any other father figure, caring and bestowed upon me unconditional love." Ava paused and laughed as she took the blade into her hands. "His mother was actually a heretic, so he was able to relate to me. Sure made it a lot easier to trust an Overseer." She gently ran the blade across the back of her hand and inspected it carefully. She felt the power surge through her veins as it dragged across her skin.

"Do you know how to wield a blade?" Corvo mused as he watched her inspect the small sword in her hands.

"Psh, please!" She laughed looking up at him. "One doesn't simply mosey around the underworld of the empire without knowing a trick or two." She took a pause. "In order to meet Daud and convince him to talk I had to chase lead after lead until it was me and him in a dark alley on the edges of Potterstead, swords drawn. He wouldn't just listen to me, but I suppose I may have given the wrong idea, with having my own sword drawn." She whipped the dagger around until it was in her palm grasped tightly. "I had my sword at his neck and told him I needed to know everything he could tell me about his mark. That old man has crazy skill." She said placing the dagger on the desk and lifting her sleeve to show a deep scar from the front of her shoulder twisting down to her elbow. "I thought I was going to lose my arm."

"So you've experience in Dunwalls underworld then." Corvo stated as he sat back in his own chair.

"Not just Dunwall, I've been across the entire empire. It's ridiculous how many hoops you have to jump through to gain people's trust." She looked over at Corvo who was now tapping the tips of his fingers together as he listened intently to Ava's words. "I'm guessing you know already though, huh? I've met all sorts of people through the years, I know personally about 5 of Dauds old Whalers, as well as another faction that called themselves the Brigmore Witches." She made a face of disgust. "They're far to… witchy… for me. I'll stick with cut throats and thieves, thank you very much."

"Interesting." Corvo said through squinted eyes. "I've never heard of them. Are they any sort of threat?" He asked plainly.

"No, Daud got rid of their leader. I'm still foggy on all the details of how but they disbanded and scattered to the wind." Ava replied returning her attention to the dagger. "What do you think of the Outsider?" she questioned after a pause.

"He's annoying." Corvo stated. "He acts as though he cares what happens to this world, but to me it just seems as though he expects chaos." He sighed. "Why give someone all that power if all you expect is destruction. For the the off chance someone might surprise him?" He snorted. "That's an awful lot of risk for something so selfish. Why, what do you think of him?" He asked looking to Ava.

"He's so…strange," she began recalling his strange mannerisms and unexpected charm. "He woke me up by drawing out an exasperated sigh. Almost like a child who's grown bored and wants attention." She snorted.

"You're joking." Corvo rolled his eyes, growing more annoyed. "For me I had to walk around that endless abyss until he decided to make a presence. Your lucky you didn't get marked, it feels like fire running through your veins for a few seconds, then a lifetime of hiding it from everyone."

"He says to the woman that was stabbed in the heart with the weapon that created the Outsider." She said rolling her eyes. She was trying desperately to lighten the mood but he wasn't budging. "Not saying I'd want the mark but if I had to do this all over and choose a way to get the power, I'd have chosen being a social pariah to near death experiences every day." She stood up and grabbed the sword looking it over as she paced back and forth.

"You know, I saw your reports on subject 101, Daud. Two questions. One, how many people did you 'observe'? And more importantly why did you want to work with him? I mean, after all the destruction he caused." Corvo asked. Down to the real questions, Ava thought to herself.

"Not one hundred people." Ava paused to flash Corvo a small smile before returning to her pacing. "Everyone I observed and studied were categorized, zero hundred being your average citizen that just happened to worship some aspects of the void, people like my mother. Group one hundred were all at some point whalers. Group two hundred were the ones that called themselves the Brigmore witches. Finally group three hundred were the crazed zealots and occultists. Observing them it was clear that they had no true clean access to the void or any magic but they were insane and fanatical in their beliefs." She stopped pacing and looked over to Corvo who was still watching intently. "And Daud is not the man you think he is. While he will never be able to truly fix the pain he's caused he's done everything in his power to make it right, and I respect him for that. Don't twist my words though, I don't necessarily respect him as a person." Ava stoped and walked back toward the desk. "It's not like you can want him dead to badly, he told me you'd had him. Had him at the end of your blade and just walked away." She finally finished, taking her seat.

"Time does not heal all wounds, but your welcome to your own opinion." Corvo said rationally though he appeared to growing increasingly upset. "How'd he try to make things right?" He asked cocking an eyebrow.

"He saved the empress, or Emily's life. Stopped a plan to take her life." Ava began. "Apparently the woman who was the leader of the Brigmore Witches figured she deserved the throne more than Emily. Her motives were beyond Daud, but he figured at least he could try his hand at redemption. And I have to respect that." She finished. She could see the disgust in Corvo's face at this whole subject. She took a deep breath and sighed. "What's done is done, the past cannot be changed. I am dearly sorry that a woman, who you clearly cared dearly for, was taken." Ava finished giving him a sorrowful look.

Corvo banged his first on the desk before collecting himself. "You know nothing, Ms. Hedsworth." He whispered as he rose to his feet and turned his back to Ava. "This is getting no where, you may take the dagger and go." He said as he turned to look at the Dunwall skyline.

"I know much more than you may think." She sighed. "I didn't ask for all of this to happen." She said rising to her feet to leave.

"Didn't you though." Corvo snorted to himself never once looking back at Ava.

"No I didn't." She huffed, as she turned toward the lord protector. She had her arms at her side but was still tightly gripping the sword. "Maybe an assassin didn't place a hit on my family, but listening paralyzed with fear as they were shot one by one by a zealot cut just as deep as losing anyone else." She started at Corvo pointing the dagger at him, she felt the power of the void swell in her veins. "In fact, I wish it was just someone hired because then maybe I would have had better answers at 13 when I found the report on my families death. Or better yet no real answers at all, nothing to confuse me and lead me on this path to somehow right others wrongs." She huffed louder as papers began flying around the room. "Don't say I know nothing. I know what it's like to be helpless as the ones you love die around you. I know because I lived it! Eugh!" She shouted and the globe behind her crashed to the ground prompting Oscar to swing the door to the office open.

"What's go-" Oscar stopped as the room settled and Ava turned to him. Corvo was still standing at the window composed as if nothing had even happened. "A, your… your eyes dear." He stuttered.

"What?" Ava managed to whisper feeling exhausted. She frantically looked for a reflective surface feeling bile at the back of her throat.

Corvo turned to her as he got out his blade and put it up to Ava so she could see her eyes. "They're black." He sighed.

She touched her face looking at her reflection. She was stricken with a small amount of fear, but an even more terrifying sense of power and strength. She looked back at Oscar, then back at the Lord protector who she'd just told off. She began backing away into the opposite corner of the room from the two of them.

"A, it's ok." Oscar said as he slowly approached her. "We can get through this." He was almost upon her and her eyes had faded back to deep dark blue. She gave Corvo and Oscar one final glance before she vanished with mere wisps of black fog were she once stood.

"How do you get to the roof?" Oscar asked frantically.

"There's a small stairwell leading up to it on the far left behind the throne room in the courtyard." Corvo replied walking toward the door. "Though, fair warning Overseer, should you wish to kill her to keep up with the strictures, she's far more powerful than even she knows." Corvo muttered for as much as he disliked this whole situation he still didn't like Overseers.

"You know, we're not all fanatics." Oscar said through gritted teeth. "And believe it or not, I love that woman, for any stupid shit she may have done in search of answers, she's more than made up for in helping others. So maybe your shouldn't think so low of her for chasing answers so many others are afraid to search for." Oscar gave one disgusted look at the lord protector before shoving past him and getting Bauble to search for Ava.

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	13. Chapter 13

**_As always if you like my story thanks and please leave any comments or suggestions._**

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"Ava?!" Oscar called as he climbed the small metal staircase that led to the roof. It was late and it had started to drizzle. As he and Bauble reached the rooftop the hound scurried over to the far edge of the roof facing the Wrenhaven. "Ava!" Oscar shouted before running toward the small figure Bauble was going towards.

"Hey." Ava managed to peep as Oscar reached her. Bauble was at her side and Oscar took a seat next to her, sandwiching her there. He grabbed her hand and they stared out at the Wrenhaven for a few minutes.

"What's that stupid saying James always says anytime someone gets in trouble? Something about mistakes not defining you?" Oscar asked breaking the silence. He snorted thinking about what James would say now.

"Funny, all I can imagine our friends saying is 'Ugh, Kill the witch!'" She muttered taking her hand from his and using it to rest her head between her knees.

"A…" Oscar started touching her shoulders before she brushed him off.

"Don't patronize me." She growled at him. "You really should cut ties with me. I think when the Feast is over I'll say goodbye to Margo and Armand, then just drop off the map." She felt tears again and sniffed loud before sighing in frustration. Bauble whined and rested her head on Ava's arm.

"Marry me." Oscar said as he moved in front of her and held her shoulders in his hands. "Marry me and we will leave this city. We won't even tell anyone we're leaving, we can go tonight." He said as Ava stared into his never ending hazel eyes.

"Stop talking stupid." Ava said squinting her eyes. She moved to stand up but Oscar followed.

"Then you stop talking stupid!" He snipped at her. "There are people here that love you more than those damn strictures. Do you think being an Overseer is mine or Haskil or James or even Armand's favorite job? Do you think it's all that defines us?!" He started raising his voice. "Ava! I was taken from my family in the middle of the night and so were James, Haskil, and Armand. Much like you and this power, we did not ask for this. I know I'm not supposed to talk about it but honestly, fuck the Abbey. I watched as the number of kids dwindled during my trials. Haskil had a cousin that was taken too, A! He made one mistake so they took him from the bunkhouse in the middle of the night and 'disposed' of him. So yeah we put on appearances but there are days when we, or at least I, just really hate all of it." Oscar sighed and grabbed his head before continuing. "Look, I don't hate my job or life because it led me to you, but we aren't all the mindless zealots that come to mind when you think 'Overseer'." Oscar finished.

"That doesn't make it less scary." She said crying as he wrapped his arms around her. "Oscar, there was this one time in Tyvia when I was studying a group of the fanatics and I will never forget how Overseers came through that alley and just tore them apart." She sobbed. "One cut a child's torso off his body and I can't help but think of that every time I think about my eyes going black." He gripped her tighter.

Oscar rested his head on top of hers and let her cry for a few moments. When she stopped he looked into her eyes. "Think about that and draw strength from it. Live your life to make sure it never happens again." Oscar said, reminding her of her potential. He looked at her as she stared out at the skyline. "Marry me. I'm being serious, I want you, all of you. And before you say it, yes I realize you're technically a witch that gets into fights with the lord protector." He began, which earned him a smile from Ava. "But that's the woman I want. You." He smiled.

"I love you Oscar Moore." She sniffed as it started raining heavy. She grabbed the dagger and turned to walk away.

"Wait, what? Where are you going?" Oscar called.

"To find a stiff drink. I'm gonna need it if Im gonna be Mrs. Moore." She called behind at him.

"Well I'm right behind you," he said as he caught up. "I'm gonna need it if I'm to marry a witch." He snorted placing an arm around her waist. "Hey couldn't you just like, you know, teleport us somewhere dry?" He asked as the walked down the stairs with Bauble close behind.

"I don't think it works like." Ava laughed. "And you probably shouldn't be so eager to try it."

Inside Dunwall tower, away from the rain. Emily and Corvo were talking as they finished cleaning up the mess in her office.

"You don't have to be so rude to her though." Emily stated harshly as she placed the final stack of papers back on her desk. "She didn't kill mom. And whatever happened to her wasn't her fault either." She finished.

"I know that, rationally. But all I can think of is how powerless I felt that day as they took you away and he…" Corvo sighed. "It doesn't matter, she is a threat." He whispered.

"Is that Corvo Attano speaking or my father and Royal Protector?" Emily antagonized. "I'm not a child anymore father and you've told me enough to gather that she must be marked in some way, but that doesn't make her a threat." Emily tried reasoning.

"You're right." He said. "But you don't know the void, and she did not willingly get marked." He admitted before walking away.

Outside in the small rooftop courtyard Ava told Oscar to wait under cover of the roof before they returned to the throne room.

"What are you doing?" Oscar asked as Ava stopped.

"Going to look for some bourbon, duh." She said as if it were obvious.

"So your gonna use your powers to steal from Dunwall tower…" Oscar said with a blank look on his face.

"…yes." Ava said after thinking. "But if I'm not caught and it's the fugue Feast, is it really stealing?" She smiled innocently at Oscar before finding herself in the Lord Protectors office.

She walked over to the bar behind his large desk. Before she even grabbed anything she saw time freeze around her.

"You harness the power of the void but use it to piss off the Royal Protector." The Outsider laughed as he walked into the office unfreezing time. Ignoring him, Ava grabbed a bottle of whiskey. "No, that bottle is from the year Emily was born." Ava sighed and grabbed at another one. "Nope, empress Jessamine got him that one as a gift years before she died." Ava continued to grab at bottles being told no until she finally turned to address the Outsider.

"Well, are you just going to stand there or will you kindly tell me where he keeps the drinkable things." Ava asked as she sighed.

"Oh, you can take any of them except the first one, I was just messing with you long enough for Corvo to get down here." He smiled as he moved behind her.

"You. Are. The. Worst." Ava whispered as she tried to hide under the desk. Just as the outsider had vanished from sight she heard the click of the office door opening. She sat quietly under the large desk as she watched Corvo go to the bar and pour himself a drink.

"Why do humans always drink when they're annoyed." The Outsider asked rhetorically as time froze once more and he appeared next to Ava under the desk. "Also, you could have just traversed away…" he stared at her blankly.

"Why are you like this!" Ava shouted before remembering that Corvo, too, was marked and wouldn't be affected by the frozen time around him. After a smirk the outsider left to his unholy plane and unfroze time.

Without a word Corvo poured another glass of whiskey and handed it to Ava under the desk. Sheepishly, she took the glass and came out from beneath the desk.

"Would I be correct in assuming that you were not alone?" Corvo asked as he turned to face Ava.

"Unfortunately, you would." She sighed before taking a sip of the whisky in her glass. "Umm, I actually should go…" Ava began as she sat the glass down and walked toward the door.

"No, please, have a seat." Corvo said offering a half smile. "I told Oscar to wait for you inside."

Ava squinted her eyes, cautious as she stepped toward him and retrieved her glass. "Well…Who am I to turn down a drink." She smiled.

"The same person set on stealing my liquor." Corvo said with a genuine laugh. "I'm not the Royal Spymaster, for nothing… I'm sorry." He whispered at the end, as he spoke he made a face as if he'd spoken some lost language. Ava snorted. "Well?" Corvo asked after a pause.

"Well, what? Am I supposed to act coy? Tell you it's ok?" Ava asked as she cocked an eye. "I mean I AM sorry I trashed Emily's office a bit." She said before taking another sip from her glass. She collapsed in a large chair in front of a fireplace. "Ugh, my chest hurts." She muttered to herself.

"Are you ok?" Corvo asked as he took the chair next to her.

"Peachy." Ava sarcastically muttered as she sat up straight. "Why the change of heart?" Ava asked as she stared at the embers in the unlit fireplace.

"My daughter reminding me that you are still just human, and me remembering about how terrifying this must be for you." He said as he lit a cigar.

"I don't know if terrified is the right word." Ava spoke as she looked over to Corvo. "I was scared especially that Oscar would hate me, I mean he never really let on how much he hates the Abbey." She paused and swirled her glass. "I mean it makes sense right? To be taken from your family and put through rigorous training and trials? I just assumed they all accepted what they were told. But maybe there are enough that are just good at acting the part." She finished as she kept her eyes on the glass in her hands.

"Smart people believe in what they see." Corvo offered before taking a sip from his own glass. "Think of it this way, kid. There's you, a constant wave of happiness in his life, then there's what he's been force fed to believe. And for him to be bright enough to see your worth more than the strictures just goes to show he's smart." Corvo finished offering Ava a genuine smile.

"Hmm, why do you hate Overseers so much?" Ava managed to laugh. "I mean come one, there's gotta be a story here." She said leaning on the edge of her chair wanting to hear of the escapades of the Lord Protector during the rat plague.

"Ok, I'm gonna tell you one story." He said holding up a finger. "One. And it takes place in the office of the High Overseer…" Corvo began telling the story of how he eliminated Thaddeus Campbell.

A couple hours had passed along with a bottle of whiskey as Corvo finished his story.

"And to top it all off the hound I woke up alerted the whole damn yard, and you haven't lived until you've tried to run away from 5 Overseers with music boxes going making you woozy." He said sarcastically.

"So wait how did you get away?" Ava asked excitedly.

"Well I couldn't use my powers so I got to the back of the yard where it meets a cliff down into the Wrenhaven and I jumped." He took his last sip of whiskey. "And Samuel snarkily goes 'it's a bit to cold for a swim Corvo.'" He let out a laugh at the last part.

"Shit, that's crazy." Ava said as she placed her empty glass on the small table nearby. "Don't try to do it now, they can blast that music over the loudspeaker and I absolutely hate it." She paused and laughed. "I remember one time back when I was 17, and Oscar, Haskil, James and I were just getting close they decided to play a prank on me and just blare it at full volume in the library as a studied. It ruined classic Serkonan Literature for me." She said dramatically as she shook her head. As she thought of her friends she frowned.

"What they don't know won't kill them." Corvo offered as he stood up and took the glasses to a nearby dumbwaiter . "You'll just need to be more careful with all of that power in you. Now come on, let's head back up to the throne room, a new day starts soon." He smiled holding the door to his office open for her.

"Who'd'a thought." Ava said giving a smirk. "The infamous Corvo Attano, a big softie." She teased as she walked past, in her ever persistent joking attitude.

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 _Thanks for Listening._


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for reading, sorry for the huge delay in updates. Anyway as always comments are what I thrive on so please comment, criticize, critique or even just compliment. It really helps.**

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Soon after sunrise a call came across the loudspeakers signifying the end of the Fugue Feast. Time had picked back up and that grim 32 hour period would be pushed back as if nothing had happened at all. The empress called for a carriage for Ava and Oscar, as Corvo made sure Ava had the dagger.

Later that morning, after Ava had locked up Ernest's house, Nathaniel walked her back to the office of the High Overseer while Oscar left to get ready for work.

"So, let me get this straight." Nathaniel started. "You can't tell me where you were, while I watched over your own party AND you can't tell me what happened?" He sighed.

"It's not important." Ava said frustrated as she tried changing the subject for the fifth time that morning.

"No, your favoring your right side, which is odd since you have an unusually even gait when you walk, you aren't talking as animated as usual and, try as you may, I see a bruise coming up from your neck." Nathaniel snorted. "I've studied anatomy, so I had better be able to tell when someone's hurt."

"Nathaniel, I'm fine." Ava stopped and gave him a serious look. "When I want to talk about it I will; it was handled and I am ok." Ava finished as she began to walk.

"Ok, I get it." He said giving up. "But you'd better find some better way to explain this to Margo. She won't yield as easily as I will." He reminded her as they walked past the gates into the courtyard in front of the building.

"Trust me I'm well aware." Ava said with more fluidity and movement than she'd used all morning. "I was just saving my strength for this encounter." Ava paused for a moment and took a mental note of the young man who'd been staring at her since she'd reached the steps to the courtyard.

"Before we go in there I wanted to tell you that in less than a week I'm leaving for Serkonos, more specifically, Karnaca." Nathaniel said after looking behind him to see what she was staring at.

"Why?" She spat, far less encouraging than she'd meant to be. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so awful, I've… just got a lot on my mind."

"I know." Nathaniel gave a warm half smile. "I'm going to study with Dr. Alexandria Hypatia. She's reopened the Adermire Institute as a place for infectious disease treatment. As I hear it, conditions for people living in Karnaca are dwindling by the day." He sighed. "Not everyone has the finery we who live amongst the upper crust have."

Ava looked at Nathaniel, her only friend who she'd truly trusted outside of the Abbey. She was sad to see him go, but she was so happy for him. "When you open your own clinic in Whitecliffe, just promise me one thing." She began as she hugged him.

"Anything." He smiled as they parted.

"You promise me that no matter who it is, no matter their worth, no matter their religion, you will treat them. You treat them as you would any friend of yours, because no one is below that basic respect." She finished holding his hand and looking into his eyes. "Just promise me that."

"I promise." Nathaniel said patting her shoulder.

"Ah, Dr. Nathaniel Becker, sounds so prestigious." Ava laughed as she continued on to the entrance.

"The day you start calling me Dr. Becker, is the day I call you Ms. Hedsworth until your head pops off." He joked back.

"Why not just do it, everyone else in this damned city does." She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we're here now and I have to go talk to Armand and then the High Overseer, come see me before you leave." Ava said as she briefly hugged him one last time.

"I leave in 4 days, I'll try to catch you before then." Nathaniel said before turning to leave. "Oh, and make sure you keep that stab wound clean, seeing as though it probably missed your heart an infection can kill you just as surely as the initial injury." Nathaniel gave a sly smile.

"I didn't say I was stabbed." Ava retorted.

"No, but I'm a doctor and your walk and everything else suggests it, stay safe Ava. Not only for me, but for everyone and everything you've worked so hard for." Nathaniel said before walking away.

As she walked into the office of the high Overseer she no longer felt safe. Any security these walls once held left when she had a knife plunged into her chest. She stood in the front lobby for a moment looking at nothing, just listening. When she'd heard enough of the familiar scurrying she hurried up the steps toward Armand's office.

"We need to talk." Ava heard from behind her as she climbed the last step.

"About?" She retorted recognizing Haskil's voice. Once Haskil had caught up to her, she stopped. She looked him over and saw he was no longer in his uniform.

"Someone in the Abbey wants you dead." Haskil whispered as he pulled out a single scrap of paper from his pocket.

Unable to stop herself, Ava started laughing uncontrollably. Haskil just looked at her with concern. She grabbed his arm and tugged him to Armand's office.

"Ava what is going on?" Haskil asked as Ava closed the door and locked it to keep Armand out.

"Someone already did try to kill me." She snorted as she unbuttoned her shirt to show him her bandaged chest.

"Shit." Haskil whispered as he looked at the bandages. "Well I'm not talking about just anyone. I found this slip of paper in the bunk house it's got a plan to try to kill you with some ceremonial dagger. A, I checked the archives this morning and it's missing."

"Yeah, I know." Ava persisted. She longed to tell her good friend the details but she didn't know how Haskil would deal with the information. He was, by far, the most devout in their group. "Let me deal with this Haskil." She said as she looked down at the floor.

"I'm so sorry, A." Haskil whispered as he grabbed her into a big hug.

"Sss, still a little sore." Ava winced.

"Shit, sorry." Haskil smiled letting go. "You are one tough bitch, not many people can say they survived a dagger to the chest." Haskil snorted as he playfully hit her shoulder.

"I'm not most people." She smirked back. "We can't tell Armand about this yet, I will eventually just not yet." She pursed her lips and looked at the ground avoiding Haskils gaze.

"Wait, where is the dagger? That cant fall into the wrong hands, if they still have it no ones safe." Haskil stated.

"Oh I'm well aware of what that stupid little blade can do." Ava spit out before thinking. "Just don't worry about it, I have that under control too." She sighed giving him a 'trust me' look.

"Alright, alright." He said placing a hand on her shoulder. "I trust you Ava, but be careful."

"I will." She smiled. "Oh and by the way, I'm staying with you Oscar and James for a few weeks. I was attacked at my own house and, I just feel safer away from there." As she finished speaking they both looked at the door hearing the door knob rattle.

"Who locked me out of my own office!" Armand shouted from behind the door.

"Sorry, the lock must have caught!" Ava shouted to Armand as she unlocked the door. Haskil went to tell Ava something but he was cut off as the door opened.

"Khulan asked me to give you this when I saw you." Armand said walking through the doorway as he handed Ava a letter. "He had to cancel his meeting with you today and postpone it for a few weeks." He sighed as he collapsed in his chair and began looking through the paper work that had collected in his desk.

"Is everything alright?" Ava asked growing concerned.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah nothing to worry about. The vice Overseer of Karnaca wants to move his headquarters to the dust district. There's some sort of turf war with a gang down there. Khulan's just humoring him." Armand said with a short sigh, he looked exhausted.

"Wow, was it really that bad?" Ava snorted. "Why do you seem so worn out?"

"Because I'm old." Armand said with a simple glance.

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with all the paperwork the break-in in the archives." Haskil whispered sarcastically.

"Which, one of your fucking recruits should have been watching!" Armand stood up pointing at Haskil. "You had better get them under control or so help me Steven, I will pull your rank." Armand finished slamming his hand on the desk.

"Armand, I-" Haskil started before being abruptly cut off by a furious Armand.

"When you have a family and someone tries to kill your daughter, then you can't bullshit your way out of it. But for now I want you to find out who it was, and where the artifact is! Now get out of my fucking sight!" He shouted as Haskil left the office like a hound with his tail between his legs.

"Haskil didn't mention that you knew about the note." Ava spoke softly as she sat down. "Armand, I spent the Furgue Feast in Dunwall Tower being patched up by their doctor." She looked at the floor feeling a hitch in her breath. "I went home to grab a book and inside was an Overseer… and that's the last thing I remember until I woke up in Dunwall tower. Apparently the empress came to see me before the fugue Feast and they found me stabbed in the heart." She kept looking at the floor as she watch a tear fall from her eye.

"Did they find the artifact nearby?" Armand walked over to Ava and knelt down to her eye level.

"No." Ava lied, she planned on going out past The Kingsparrow Lighthouse and throwing it as far as she could to be taken away with the tide.

"Well we will find it." Armand said reassuring her. "Do you know who it was?" He asked standing up.

Ava's mind reeled thinking of what she actually saw compared to what the Outsider himself told her. She stood up and walked over to the fireplace. "Let me handle this Armand." She said as she looked into the flames.

"A, what happened to you?" He asked as he gripped her shoulder. She flinched and pushed him away.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "Just your everyday run of the mill assassination attempt." She smirked regaining her composure. "I'm begging you to just sweep this under the rug, like you never heard a thing, and let me deal with it. Does Khulan know about it?" Ava asked facing him, all doubt and fear leaving her.

"No." Armand stated simply. "He left before Haskil told me. As far as I know it's just Haskil and I that know of it. I asked him to keep it quiet." Armand paused and took an exasperated sigh. "I'll keep this quiet for now A, but I'll have to report the artifact missing at some point in the near future."

"That's good enough for me." She managed to smile. "I'll come home tomorrow night and have dinner with you and Margo and we can discuss it at length afterwards." Ava said approaching him.

"Ok, but Ava be careful." Armand said as he hugged her. "I love you sweetheart, and I will always be here for you." He finished before he kissed the top of her head.

After she left Armand's office she went to see Margo before heading over to Oscars Apartment in the Rudshore Financial District. When she'd arrived at the apartment building she looked over across the street at the Old Commerce building and thought of all the tales Daud had spun for her of his trials during the rat plaugue. All held out here in this gentrified district that, to look at it now, you'd have no idea was once a desolate crumbling wasteland on the fringes of the city. She looked at the statue of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin and recalled how often Daud had shown remorse for his actions. "A broken man." She whispered to herself getting caught up in her own mind. Speaking aloud snapped her back to reality and she found her way into the building.

As Ava unlocked and opened the door to the apartment she found a white rose in a vase on the table in the entryway. Sitting next to it was a small notecard from Oscar.

 _"Ava,_

 _sorry about this entire situation. Sorry I can't be here with you now, but we will get through this, together. I meant everything I said, about marrying you, I love you A and nothing could ever get between us. Not even a god demon thing. P.S. I hope the apartment doesn't reek tobadly of Overseer._

 _All my heart, Oscar"_

After reading the card she put it in her bag and made her way to his room. Once she got done unpacking what little she had with her she decided to test out her newfound abilities.

"Alright. Here goes nothing." She whispered to herself as she thought of the kitchen on the other side of the apartment. With a single thought she found herself standing in the kitchen she didn't know whether to be thrilled at the ease or terrified of the power coursing within her. Though as she refocused and heard the music as well as the smell of sweet cake she was terrified.

"Holy shit." James whispered as he dropped the cake from his mouth.

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 _ **Thanks for Listening.**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Sorry this chapter took so long to come out I've been busy! Anyway as always thanks for the continued interest in my story please enjoy and comments suggestions and critiques are always appreciated.**_

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Before she'd had time to react time around her froze. "There has to be a way to fix this." She whispered to herself as she walked around James who sat in the chair with a curious look on his face. He didn't seem shocked or upset, but then again he spent his days following cult leads. She stared at her friend wondering what to do and as if second nature she waved a hand in front of his face and spoke in a language she'd never heard and time started around them once more.

"Ugh, hey A, when did you get here?" James spoke up. "I must have been daydreaming." He gave a friendly laugh and pulled out a chair for Ava.

"You don't remember me getting here?" Ava asked surprised. "Did you see Oscar drop by this morning?" She took a seat and stole his mug of coffee.

"Yeah, he brought the cake, put it in the kitchen and told me not to eat it, that it was for you." He got up and poured himself a new cup of coffee. "Sorry, I was starving." He said as he rubbed his temples.

"You ok?" Ava asked as she continued to watch him.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine just a bad headache. Nothing to worry about." He finished sitting back down. "So how was your fugue Feast? Anything interesting happen?"

"I swear if I have to answer that question one more time I'm gonna jump off Kaldwin's bridge." Ava groaned as she collapsed her head into her arms on the table. "How long are you home?" She asked changing the subject.

"A few weeks this time. And I cannot tell you how happy I was to see the dismal grey skyline of Dunwall. Vice Overseer Burne is a pain in my ass." James rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Khulan had to delay my meeting because he went down there. What exactly is going on that they needed the High Overseer?" She asked curious.

"From what I've seen it's a pissing match between the overseers and the leader of the Howlers. I have no doubt that he possesses something worth checking out but it doesn't require a literal turf war." He rolled his eyes. "Besides something weird is going on at the Royal Conservatory. But does Burne send anyone to help me and my crew? Nope. Just us holed up in an apartment. I asked Khulan to get him to give me some men for surveillance so maybe when I head back down there it will be easier."

"I was stabbed by an Overseer during the Fugue Feast." Ava blurred out. He used an artifact from the archives and the only people that now about it are Oscar, Haskil, Armand, and you." The whole time she spoke she stared at the coffee mug in her hands. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to tell you because you're telling me all of this and… and I felt awful hiding this from you."

"Are you ok? Did you kill him? What artifact did he use? Do you have the artifact?!" James started rambling out questions until Ava eventually raised her hand to stop him.

"Yes I'm ok, or at least I think I'm ok." She paused. "No I didn't kill him and I don't know where the artifact is." She looks out the nearby window as she finished speaking.

"There's something you're not telling me." James said after a long pause. "You may be able to fool Haskil and Oscar but unlike them my job is literally to look for secrets and you're keeping a big one." He stated matter of factly while keeping his gaze on Ava. She still hadn't looked back at him.

In that moment Ava wanted to be anywhere else. She'd rather roam the void than be in that room for one more minute. But, alas, she could not run from her problems forever eventually she'd have to face this.

"I know who did it." She said looking back to James. 'Eventually does not need to be now' she thought to herself as she told some of the truth of what had happened. "Overseer Fredericks. One of the new ones, young but over zealous." She paused and looked back out the window.

"Have you told anyone who it was?!" James asked concerned.

"No." Ava spoke in a cold dark monotone. "And neither will you." The room grew as icy as the look on Ava's face. "I'm going to find him and I'm going to kill him," a small barely noticeable rumble could be felt throughout the apartment as Ava continued to speak. "I will make him pay for what he did to me, what I know he will do to others." She gripped her coffee in one hand as she walked over to stare out the window, the light on the ceiling grew brighter and brighter. "I'm going to kill him and he will know what it's like to be nothing." She grimaced as her mug crushed beneath the strength of her hand and the light bulb above blew into a hundred pieces.

Before she could look over toward James the front door had opened and in walked Haskil and Oscar. She stared at the two as they entered the kitchen Haskils eyes opened in shock as he looked at Ava's face. She was her but in place of her stormy dark blue eyes, there was black as cold and unending as the void.

Oscar ran to her and held her in his arms. "A, what can we do to help?"

"Take this power out of me!" She yelled pushing Oscar away. "I don't want it, I never wanted it! All I've ever wanted was peace and balance. Shows what I get for believing I could help make that reality." She snorted and walked out of the kitchen.

"What the fuck was that?!" Haskil whispered after a long silence. "Did the artifact do that to her?" He had to sit down to collect his thoughts.

"It's was the twin bladed knife artifact number 1278." James said cooly. "Many old heretical texts reference it as the creator of the Outsider or the Void as we know it. That's what he used isn't it." He looked aver at Haskil.

"Yes…. But I didn't know all of that about it.." he looked at James skeptically.

"When you spend you days following cults and witches you must understand the history that's lead up to how people are today. The facts and the fictions. But I am certain this one is fact." He looked over at James who was still standing by the window. He looked nervous.

"You know she didn't want this right?" He said as he stared out to the square below. "An Overseer, someone that she put her trust in, tried to strike her down because they were a coward and couldn't ask question." Oscar curled his right hand into a fish and punched the plaster wall so hard a small crack appeared. His knuckles were bloody as he turned toward his friends. "If you love her like a sister, as I have heard you both say before, this will go no further than this apartment. Understood?" Oscar asked as he held his hand close to his body.

"Understood." Haskil and James said in unison.

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 _Thanks for Listening._


	16. Chapter 16

**_Hey everyone thanks for your continued interest in my story and the feedback, I did want to address the grammatical and spelling errors because I actually wrote this all on my iPhone because I dont have a computer at the moment. As soon as I get myself one I'm gonna re-edit the whole story. Anyway feedbacks always welcome and appreciated._**

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Ava had found her way to the roof of the building and looked down at the hustle and bustle below. Food carts setting up for lunch, accountants and bankers in jackets taking a break from the mundane activities of their jobs, and the occasional Child tugging their mother or nanny along as they walked toward the carriage station to better more exciting districts. She felt a smile form across her lips as she thought of Oscar, and the family they might have one day. But then, as quickly as the smile came to her it faded. Could she see herself bringing a child into this world with her own future so uncertain? Would it be irresponsible of her to raise a child when she had a power burning in her that she could barely control. All of these were questions that needed answering, but first she needed to clear her mind.

She heard the door to the rooftop open and waited for whoever it was to talk first.

"Why do you always come to the roof or ledges?" James asked as the sun glinted I his green eyes. "I suppose there doesn't really have to be a reason, but with you there usually is." He offered a warm smile.

As Ava looked at James she felt her smile returning. He didn't seem scared or angry or even weary of her. "I can stand up here and watch the world go by below me without being a part of it." She finished as she stood up straight. James wasn't much taller than her standing at 5'7". He turned and put his hands on the ledge and looked down below, his shaggy blonde hair falling on his face, usually he had it slicked back.

"I can understand that." He said as Ava sat on the ledge next to him.

"So how bad is Haskil taking this?" Ava asked quietly not truly wanting to know the answer.

"Terribly, to be honest." He said looking at Ava. Her face turned to a frown as she looked away. "But not in the way you may think."

"What do you mean?" She asked choking back tears.

"I mean he's not taking your role in this badly, he's more… frustrated, that a brother in the order would pull such a stunt." James stood up straight and sat on the ledge. "He knows you didn't want this, as I know. And don't worry I'm not a crazy fanatic that believes the void to be a blight in the human condition. You're still you."

"Oh." Was all Ava could offer. "I don't really think I would kill Fredericks." She said as she looked at the rooftop concrete.

"Oh, I know. You're much to calm and collected to strike a man down in the name of justice." He laughed.

"I want to, but I don't think I could. Not outright anyway." She looked up at him.

"So if we're going to be this secret cell within the order, what is the plan of action to deal with the crisis in front of us?" James asked with a sigh.

"Find Fredericks I guess." Ava said with a sigh herself.

"And you should get rid of the dagger before Haskil has a fit about doing the right thing and giving it back. It needs to be gone." James said getting a reaction from Ava. "Yes I knew, future Mrs. Moore." He said jabbing her arm with his elbow. "I know everything that goes on, when will you all learn that I'm basically the spymaster of our little group?" He laughed.

"I've missed you so much James." Ava said jumping up to hug him. "And I've already got an idea on disposing of the dagger."

"Don't tell me!" He said raising up both hands. "Look, just do it and let's be done with this part of the situation." He said with a sigh cradling his head in one hand.

"No problem, consider it done." She smiled as she walked past him toward the door leading back downstairs. James followed soon after.

As Ava descended the stairs she fidgeted with her hands and began to grow nervous with each step. Soon she rounded the corner to the fourth floor and approached the apartment. She reached for the door but wanted nothing more than to run, she hated that she'd now brought everyone into her problem. She reached for the door knob but withdrew her hand as she watched it turn from the other side. She stepped back.

"Oh… Ava…" Haskil said with a hitch in his voice. He looked her up and down and for the first time noticed the bruise creeping up from her chest. "Oh, Ava, I'm so sorry." He said as he stared at the bruise. "How are you walking around? I mean, I get a paper cut and my whole days ruined." He gave a small smile as Ava gave a short laugh.

"Well there comes a vitality with this power and I can only assumed it's healed me at a remarkably faster pace than usual." She said nervously.

"So do you have, you know, magical powers?" Haskil inquired equally as nervous. Ava gave a meek smile before disappearing from sight. "By the void." Haskil whispered almost silently. He turned around and she was standing behind him, same stance, same look on her face, nothing had changed except her location.

"Not that I'm going to use them often, but yes." Ava offered, with a stoic look. "Well, you hide your disgust well." Ava said sarcastically as she headed toward the door. As she reached for the door knob Haskil grabbed her wrist.

"It's not you I'm disgusted at." He said in an exhausted tone, but Ava just knodded and shook him off as she entered the apartment.

"I'm leaving the city." Ava said to Oscar as she packed a knapsack with some clothes and money, and of course the dagger.

"Then I'm coming with you." Oscar said as he crept up behind her and leaned his head in the crook of her neck. Ava wanted to badly to smile, to say 'yes, run away with me.' But she couldn't, she wouldn't.

She turned into him and rested her head on his chest. Moments passed until she finally looked up to Oscar with a sorrowful look. "It will just raise suspicion, Oscar." She turned away. "I won't be gone long I just need to go clear my head." 'And dispose of the dagger' she thought to herself. "Besides someone needs to go get Higgs and hold down the fort here, we can't just leave Haskil and James to go crazy." She gave a smile though it pained her to leave her love. She began walking to the door.

"Ava!" Oscar called. "I meant everything I said this morning, every word of it. I love you."he finished.

Instead of speaking Ava walked back over to Oscar and gave him a final kiss before leaving the apartment. Before leaving the city.

It was dark by the time she'd made it outside of Dunwall. With every passing moment as she sat alone in the covered carriage the city lights grew dimmer and dimmer. Within three hours she made it to Everton, a small town with a carriage station connecting both Poolwick and Potterstead on a direct line to Dunwall. She'd decided to just travel through the night and took the next carriage to Potterstead.

After another long, near 3 hour ride, Ava had arrived in Potterstead. She looked up to the nearby clock bolted to the side of the platform to see it was a bit past 1 am. She took off her knapsack and rifled through her bag for a key.

She left the Small carriage station and wandered her way through the town to a 4 story apartment building she unlocked the front door and waited until until no one was around to transverse her way into Daud's apartment. She tip toed around to see no one was there. She hoped he hadn't skipped town. Eventually Ava fell asleep on the couch.

She dreamt of the void, only it was distorted. More so than usual, at least. Like her work and this plane merged together to become an abominable hostile new plane of existence. She wanders the deserted cold street of Dunwall. She looked up at the the Abbey as she passed the gates toward Holger Square. She heard laughter and Fredericks voice through it all "She disgust me". She hurried on, she continued through Dunwall hearing all sorts of nasty things she never wanted to know, was it real? Couldn't be, this wasn't what the void looked like last time she was there. Eventually she made her way to her apartment. She opened the door and took a few step in. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment!" Fredericks exaed from behind her. Only this time she had the blade. She pushed him to the ground as the world around her faded.

"Ava, it's just me!" She heard Daud's voice and was brought back to reality. Sunlight now flooded the room as she looked down at him and saw the blade at his neck. She got up tossing the cursed artifact to the ground. Daud got up and looked over at Ava who, at that moment, looked like the last thing she wanted to do was talk. "Come on kid, lets go grab something to eat." He said which made Ava turn to look at him. She nodded yes as she walked to pickup the blade and put it in her bag. She hid the bag in a nearby closet and followed Daud out of the apartment to a nearby market with food stands. All of this nasty business could wait for an hour.

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 _Thanks for listening._


	17. Chapter 17

**_Sorry the chapters haven't been flowing as much as I'd like. Anyway, thanks for everyone interest in my story, hope you enjoy._**

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Ava and Daud sat in silence, eating muffins from a nearby bakery, as they sat on a bench overlooking the dockyards of Potterstead. Here, it was always busy even through the night. Potterstead and Baleton were the two major ports between Karnaca in Serkonos and and Dabokva in Tyvia. Any and all goods shipped between the two ports were processed through either Potterstead or Baleton before being shipped to their final destination. Eventually Duad turned toward Ava to speak.

"Do you remember the night we first met?" He inquired as he searched Ava's face for reaction. She simply nodded continuing to look forward at the workers below. "I though you were insane." He laughed. "But I was so intrigued about why you would work so hard to find me. So, I let you beat me. Now it's years later and, while you haven't entirely disproven my first impression, I have learned one thing." He finished waiting for her to respond. After a long silence Ava shifted toward him tucking one leg under the other as she now faced him.

"And what would that be?" She said as she grabbed for another muffin.

"You're…" he paused mulling over his words, "one of the strongest people I know." He looked away. Daud was never good at telling people how he felt, but Ava looked like she needed it.

"Thank you." Ava smiled as she patted his shoulder catching him off guard.

Daud jumped up, he'd had more enough emotions for one day. "So what did the black eyed bastard do this time?" He asked as he walked over to the nearby railing, looking at the docks below.

"Other than being incredibly annoying, absolutely nothing." She sighed getting up and grabbing the box of muffins that were sat in the middle of the bench.

Nodding his head toward the way they came Daud gave a small sigh and said, "Come on, let's head back."

After a short 10 minute walk past the bakery he'd bought muffins at and through the marketplace, they reached his apartment building. They climbed the stairs until they reached his apartment.

"So, how's your Overseer?" He sneered as he unlocked the door.

"Well, I'm fairly certain I've created a rogue faction within the Abbey." She said without emotion. Ava hadn't even realized what she'd said until she couldn't take it back. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, devoid of emotion.

Daud didn't push the subject, instead he ushered her inside and motioned for her to sit.

Ava sat down but then perked up and looked at Daud who had taken a seat on a chair adjacent from the sofa she was sitting on. "Where were you last night." She asked as her eyes glinted in the sunlight coming through the curtains.

"Don't worry about it." He snorted. "Now what happened to you?" He asked slumping in his seat.

"Nope. Not how this is gonna work." Ava smiled as Daud cocked his eyebrow in confusion. "Question for a question." Daud obliged realizing her fascination with his life was the first emotion she'd genuinely shown since she'd gotten there.

"Ask away." He said as he gestured dramatically with his hands.

Ava thought for a minute, until finally looking up with a smile. "Why do you act like you don't like me?"

"What?" He whispered more to himself caught off guard by the question. "I… couldn't really say." He sighed admitting the truth to her question. "I suppose if I had to give a reason, it's that people I grow fond of always disappoint me… or moreover I disappoint them." He whispered the last part as he looked down at the floor. Ava was silent yet had a pained sorrowful expression on her face. He ignored it and thought of a question for her. "How do you trust your Ove-… Oscar… after all the bad you've seen the order do?" He asked looking in her eyes from across the room.

Ava looked around a bit, hesitating. "Well, he's not them. Look I know that my trust is all placed with my heart but maybe that's all the trust I need. I know that my friends and Armand, who has been the greatest father I could ask for, would protect me with their lives. I trust them… and they trust me. And, well, that's about all I've got for that answer." She finished finally looking back at Daud. He merely nodded and she continued on to her question. "Where are you going? Don't play coy either, I've learned enough from you to know that this was never going to be were you spent the rest of your days. There's something else out there for the ol' Knife of Dunwall before you merge with the void." She said the last words in an ominous dramatic tone.

"Karnaca." Daud quickly answered not hiding anything. "I'm going home, I'll likely die fighting in the streets, same as I was raised, but I'm still going none the less." He smiled looking at the map of the Isles above Ava's head. "And no I'm not stooping to the lows of hired assassin, I'm going to do some good before I say my final farewell. At least I hope I'll do good." He sighed walking towards the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"What does that mean?" Ava asked following close behind.

"Hmm, if i recall correctly, it's my time to ask a question." He said putting a finger in the air to quiet her. "Do you know what that blade you brought with you does? Rather, what it is?" He asked as he filled his glass with water.

"Yes." Ava replied crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame to the kitchen.

"So what is it?" He asked leaning on the counter behind him.

"If I recall correctly, it's my turn to ask you a question." She gave a sly smile as her eyes narrowed. "Where did you learn about it?" She asked.

"Well I didn't have the historical records from the abbey, if that's what your implying." He sneered. "I had to call in a lot of favors, traveled to Whitecliffe. I met with people who'd had tomes older than the empire itself. The last of a dying culture. In those tomes I found the answers I was looking for. How it all began." He looked at her gaging her reaction, his tone grave. "And how it will end." He said the the last part low before slamming the glass on the counter behind him and walking past Ava.

"Are you ok?" Ava asked following him to the nearby window he'd just opened.

Without answering he pursed his lips and turned to her. "What happened to you? You have the power of the void in you, I can feel it. It's almost to much."

"An overseer tried to kill me with the blade and I woke up in the void." She began. "I thought I was dead. I was just cold to the bone, and honestly that chill hasn't left me since. Eventually the Outsider told me I'd been stabbed in the heart but the overseer missed it. Well, just barely." She walked over to her bag and grabbed the dagger. "Take it." She said holding it out for Daud to take.

"What?" He asked confused. "You aren't going to give it back to the overseers?"

"Actually the general consensus of my group, save one person, is to get rid of it. It's just to dangerous for any zealots to get a hold of." She shuddered. "Take it to karnaca or drop it in the middle of the ocean, I don't care. I just want it gone." She finished as Daud took it from her grasp.

"Are you ok?" Daud now asked.

"I don't know." She replied sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. "I don't want this power inside of me. I don't even know the exact specifics on how it came to me. It feels like I'll never get my old life back. But there's also part of me that wouldn't want it back at all." She sighed.

"What can you do?" Daud asked. "What have you figured out I should say."

"I can traverse from one place to wherever I think of. Not quite sure if there's a distance in that yet. And I can stop time." She finished before remembering something. "I can also make people forget things. And sometime I…" she hesitated.

"Sometimes you what?" He asked sitting down next to her.

"I see these things. Like bad things, in my dreams. Or if I zone out of reality for the slightest amount of time. There's… a woman, she's thirsty for power and do whatever it takes to seize it for herself, there's nothing left in her but murderous hate.… she's there, but not, and another woman. She shouldn't be there… but she is. She has a red eye that cuts right through me." Ava finished shuddering. "And in the middle of it all a calm plane from which all of the power from the void is emitted, or is drawn to? I don't know." She rubbed her temples feeling a headache coming on.

Daud stood up, without a word, and walked into his bedroom. He returned with a sword. "Ava, I want you to take this. Just take it, put my mind at ease." He handed it over to her. She held it at arms length, looking it over with great speculation. "No, I didn't kill the empress with it. But it has served me since then." He looked at the floor, shame and disgust visible on his face.

"Hey, I'll be careful." Ava said fastening the sheath to her belt and sheathing the sword at her side. She got up and walked over to to Daud putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Promise me you'll try to be careful as well."

"No promises." He offered a smile not brushing her off. "It was nice knowing you Mrs. Hedsworth." He said with a smile knowing she hated being called that.

"You are seriously the worst." She smirked punching him in the arm.

"Yeah?" He asked as he got a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "If only I had the wanted posters to prove it… Oh, wait." He snorted once he took a drag.

"You've come a long way from the person you once were." She said encouragingly.

"Come on." Daud said grabbing her bag now sitting on the couch. "I'll walk you to the train station." He gave her a warm smile.

"Part of me is going to miss you." Ava smiled as she passed through the door, Daud close behind. "Thanks for all you've taught me." She said as he locked the door.

"I'll definitely miss you, Ava." He laughed thinking about the crazy woman that attacked him in that alley years ago. If he thought it was his place to say, he'd tell her he'd be proud of her, proud of her ability to stay true to herself and her beliefs on face off all the adversity she'd encountered. "Keep staying true to yourself." He said as he led her out of the apartment building and back to the train station.

Daud paid for her return ticket and watched as she was off. He knew he'd never see her again.

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 _Thanks for Listening_


	18. Chapter 18

**_Thanks to everyone for your continued interest in my story, as it is now reaching its end. The next chapter will probably be the final chapter so buckle up and get ready for it! Anyway enjoy this chapter as we finally each the climax. Enjoy._**

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Bauble growled fiercely, waking Oscar. He scrambled to see who had alerted her. Looking over the ledge of the apartment building and pacing back to the stairwell he found no one. He sat back down and watched the stars above, he was worried about Ava. She'd been gone much longer than he'd expected.

"Do you think Haskil is as on edge as us, over at Ava's house?" Oscar asked Bauble. She whined and turned toward the door to the stairwell. She had begun growling again. "What is it, girl?" He whispered as he too heard a commotion down below. "Easy." He whispered as she looked to him for directions. Then, from the dark of the stairwell a live grenade whizzed past Oscars face. He looked at bauble with narrowed eyes and whispered, "Run."

The two ran across the rooftop and jumped from rooftop to rooftop until they'd hit a wall. The conjoining building was one story higher. "Why are you making this so damn hard Overseer Moore?!" A man called from a rooftop away. "Where's the rest of your gang and witch to protect you." He laughed maniacally as he took a shot at Oscar.

The bullet missed Oscar as he stared at Fredericks in his uniform, Ava's blood stained on his shirt and smeared across the Abby symbol on his mask. As the disgust and hate rose within Oscar he was prepared to die killing the lunatic in front of him. But as he reached for his gun Bauble leaped from the rooftop they were on and launched herself at Overseer Fredericks clamping down on his arm. He went down and it gave Oscar time to scale to the roof of the nearby office building and get away.

As Oscar broke open the door he heard loud growl from bauble and a chilling scream from Fredericks. His heart was heavy worrying about his hound, as he ran down the 7 flights of stairs to get to the road below. As he ran out of the building he spotted Ava at the carriage station. "Go back! We need to go to your apartment and get Haskil!" He shouted as he ran as fast as he could toward her.

Ava headed back and hailed a carriage. Shortly after Oscar got there breathing heavy. "Fredericks." He turned to see the door to a nearby apartment building swing open as Bauble rushed toward them, Fredericks limping behind.

Ava felt the electrifying energy on the air and felt her powers surge. Instantaneously she knew this was fight or flight. Bauble passed Ava and ran up to Oscar, who was now closer to the carriage rails. Ava noticed her bloodied fur and looked to see how much she'd hurt Fredericks. He was not only limping but holding a bloodied and twisted arm to his chest. She felt the energy in her body surge to insurmountable levels as she looked back at Oscar. The carriage rails beeped three times signifying an incoming car.

She walked a few steps back and kissed Oscar. "You need to go, now. I promise I'll meet you at my apartment just take Bauble and get out of here." She looked Fredericks drawing his gun, inching closer as Oscar protested. "Now!" She shouted as she felt herself giving in to the power coursing through her. A gunshot rang out as Oscar, along with Bauble took off in the car leaving Ava behind.

Before the bullet managed to hit Ava she stopped time and threw it to the ground. She crossed the space between her and Fredericks and held him up by the neck, drawing strength from her powers. A small breeze formed around her as time unfroze. He gasped for air.

"I'm everything you could have feared and more, if you want take me down, then do it." She smiled looking into his eyes and seeing the fear rise as it registered to him just how dangerous she was. "Tell the Abbey, no one will believe you." She could tell the void had taken control and her eyes were black as she watched the fear turn to disgust. "Don't go after my friends because you're to pathetic to look for me." She threw him to the ground, he didn't bother getting up. She drew the sword Daud had given her and pressed it against his neck. "I'll let you get patched up so we can have as even a fight as possible." She gave a wry smile turning to him. "Then, come find me." As soon as the words fell from her lips she disappeared.

Moments later she found herself in her apartment and began looking for Haskil. "Haskil! Where are you? I think I may have made things worse…" Ava said loudly as she began checking the rooms in the first floor then second.

"Quiet down!" He said barreling down the stairs and into her office. "Do you really want to wake the whole street up? I could hear you from your bedroom on the third floor." He grumbled taking her into a hug.

"Ok, what's happening?" She said hugging him back. "Did something happen? Are you hurt? And why were you in my bedroom?" She asked now holding him at shoulder length.

"It's nothing it's just," he paused and stepped back. He looked up putting his hands behind his head. "I don't know, this… everything… that's happened in the last 72 hours has just given me a lot to think about. I've been to stand offish with you, questioned your morality far more often than I'd like to admit and, well… I'm not proud of it." He looked to Ava. "Also I was worried about you. And I was keeping an eye on the activity in the streets from your balcony upstairs. Streets in which you were not on." He looked questioningly at Ava as she she nodded her head that's she had indeed used her powers. He sighed and grabbed a cigarette from the box on her desk. She stared at him through narrowed eyes as he lit a match. "Want one?"

"Haskil, that's my tobacco you don't need to ask me if I want one." She snorted looking at him. "Shit, I've corrupted you." She gave a small teasing laugh.

"Far from it I think, I'm still faithful to the Abbey, but now I just see through some lies and bullshit." He said as she leaned on the desk. "Far too many lies and bullshit." He whispered looking at the ground. After a few moments he looked back at Ava. "You should probably get some sleep." He said with a sorrowful look.

"I know, but even my dreams are plagued by this." She said leaving out that the outsider bothered her too. "I'm going to wait for Oscar." She sat down in a chair in her study. "Where is Higgs?" She asked wondering what had happened to her cat.

"Sleeping in your bed or gorging his face with food. I'm not sure which." He snorted flicking his cigarette ash into the ashtray. "Cats are the worst." He sat down in the chair next to her.

"You just don't like animals." Ava laughed. Higgs then walked through the door and meowed at Ava. "How can this amazing little guy be the worst?" She said petting his head. Once he'd had enough he walked over to Haskil and rubbed up against his legs. "See he likes you."

"No he likes rubbing his scent and hair on me." He said as he bent down to pet Higgs. He began to purr. "Okay maybe he's not the worst." Haskil smiled.

After ten minutes of comfortable silence Ava brought up what had happened back at the apartment. She described everything in detail and gaged the reaction on his face. "I hate this raw power and energy." She said after she'd explained how she left Fredericks. "But I also love it, this is just so dangerous." She admitted as he cradled her head in her lap.

Haskil got up and kneeled in front of her putting a hand on her knee. "You're still you, Ava." He reassured her. "You didn't seek this out, you didn't ask for it. And above all else I don't believe you will let it change you." He finished.

A short time later Oscar arrived carrying Bauble in his arms. "Ava we need to get her down to the Kennels. She has a deep cut on her chest and She's lost a lot of blood." She could see the grave concern on Oscars face.

"Of course, we'll go." Ava said grabbing Oscars face in her hands. "I love you Oscar Moore." She said with a smile. "We will get through this, Bauble will get through this. Let's go." She looked at Haskil and he agreed. She left food out for Higgs and the three of them were off.

After the 20 minute carriage ride they all stepped out into a brightly lit but deserted Claverimg boulevard. They hurried up the street to Holger Square and up to capitol building of the Abbey of the Everyman. Oscar and Haskil kept walking past until they got to the street entrance to the yard. Ava, however, had paused and looked up at the massive building.

As she looked at the building memories flooded her mind. Here stood the building she'd spent most of her days wandering, the building that once felt safe and secure. She thought of all those nights out on the ledge studying everyone down below, of all the times she'd do her homework in the archives room. She thought about High Overseer Khulan"s office and how many times she'd been pulled in there and lectured for something she'd done or taught about the structures after she was caught rebelling against Armand. She thought about meeting Oscar, and James and all the times she went out of her way to poke fun at or piss off Haskil. But most of all she saw her life laid out before her, her past and the future she thought she'd held. But now it was all for naught as the building in front of her no longer felt secure, but rather bred nightmares and insecurities she worried she'd never overcome. And as she stood there she felt the grief bubble up in her stomach until it was too much and she had to walk away.

"Are you okay?" Oscar asked as she caught up with them.

"Fine." She responded coldly. "I'm sorry, I'm fine, promise." She said as they walked toward the kennels. "Hey I'm going to go check around for James." She pointed at the door as she began to walk off. Oscar and Haskil nodded

After a bit of searching Ava found James in the archives with books piled around him and deep into research.

"Ava!' He said as he caught a glimpse of her in the corner of his eye. "What's going on?" He asked concerned.

"Fredericks attacked Oscar at your apartment building." She stated sitting across from him at the table. "He injured Buable too and we're here getting her some help." She sighed. "This is all just spiraling and I got so worked up that I began goading him and I don't think that's in anyone's best interest." She got up and grabbed a book James had in a pile on front of him.

"I'm trying to research what specifically that knife did to you." He offered as if he'd read her mind. "It seems to have varying affects on different people that have gotten a hold of it. I presume along with what it did to you, it drove Fredericks over the edge." James looked over the pile of books to see Ava with her nose buried in the book she was looking at.

"Sorry, I am listening." She promised as she too looked up. "Is there anything on how to reverse this? You know like get rid of this power?" She had a pleading look in her eye.

"Not that I've seen. Well nothing short of gruesome torture. And everyone subjected to that goes insane… or dies." He looked to Ava sympathetically.

"Ok, that's fine." She said trying to be sincere.

The two of them sat alone in the room studying the books in front of them for a while until Haskil came and busted through the door.

"I can't find Oscar." He said concerned. "I left him for about 10 minutes to go help one of my new guys with something. Then when I returned to the kennels and to Bauble, who's all patched up, but he was gone. And yes before you ask I have looked for him." He finished looking to Ava and James for help.

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 _Thanks for Listening!_


	19. Chapter 19

**_This is the final chapter for this story. It's been a lot of fun writing it and I love that other liked it too. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you enjoyed the whole story._**

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"What the fuck do you mean you can't find him?!" Ava said standing up and shoving Haskil. "He didn't vanish into thin air!" She got louder shoving Haskil against a nearby bookshelf. "There's a lunatic out there dead set on slaughtering each and everyone of us and you tell me Oscar is 'missing'." As she finished with a final thump on Haskil's chest she felt tears begin to fall. She angrily wiped them from her face.

"Ava, relax, he's probably fine." Haskil said grabbing her shoulders. James went to walk over to Ava but as he got up the loud speakers above buzzed on.

"Attention, attention!" A familiar crazed voice began. "Could Ms. Hedsworth, Overseer Haskil, and Overseer Stovaski report to the Courtyard in 5 minutes." There was a pause. "Wouldn't want to keep Overseer Moore waiting." The loud speaker went off and it began to register what danger Oscar could be in.

The three stood there in silence Ava looked deep in thought.

"What's the plan?" James asked breaking the silence. Both men turned to look at Ava, still staring at the ground.

"We subdue him." Ava said still thinking.

"Cant we just kill the asshole and get it over with?" Haskil asked.

"We subdue him then take him out back and break each and every one of his fingers before yanking the teeth out of his stupid smug mouth." She glared at Haskil feeling the power within her swell.

"That's more like it." He snorted.

"Wait, how are we planning on subduing him? What if he really does have Oscar as a hostage?" James asked making a valid point.

"Choke dust, chloroform, electrified bullets, stun grenades, sleep darts…" Haskil began listing off possibilities. "You name it, you'll find it in the armory or workshop." He finished with a thoughtful look.

"Ok, here's how this is going to work." She started. "You two go out front and keep Fredericks busy. Also deal with everyone whose bound to show up and watch. Meanwhile I'll look outback for something to subdue Fredericks that won't hurt Oscar." She said wringing her hands to calm her nerves.

"Uh, problem…." James said holding his hand up as if to pause the conversation. "Remember how I told you the Vice Overseer of Karnaca is in a turf war with a street gang."

"Yes." Ava scowled at him.

"Well along with Khulan, a huge shipment of weapons and ammo went down to Karnaca." He gave a frown. "Most of our excess ammo and grenades are gone. We get a shipment in tomorrow." He finished with a defeated sigh.

Ava paced back and forth rubbing her temples, refusing to give herself over to her emotions and ultimately the power that rose inside her.

"We can go create a distraction!" Haskil offered looking at his watch and seeing that 3 minutes had passed since the announcement.

"Yeah, we'll make sure nothing happens." James grabbed her shoulder reaffirming her.

"Go, I'll scout the yard for anything available." She sighed. "Hurry down there." She traversed away to the workshop in the yard before they'd had the chance to leave the room.

As Ava looked around she'd noticed that outside of the workshop the yard was empty. The fear insider her grew. She searched through crates and boxes and couldn't find anything to knock Fredericks out. When she found nothing in there she ran over to the armory and came up empty handed. Just as she was about to leave she saw a single bottle of chloroform on top of a workbench. She grabbed a gun as well and wasted no time traversing to the front courtyard.

"Nice of you to join us Ms. Hedsworth!" Fredericks shouted across the courtyard near the grand entrance to the building. He had a fresh uniform but Ava's blood was still smeared on his mask. He stood there just below the steps with Oscar down on his knees with a sword at his neck.

Behind Fredericks on either side were Haskil and James with their swords drawn ready to attack when they saw an opening. Ava reached for the chloroform in her back pocket but as she got it out and held it at her side Fredericks gave a warning shot that grazed past her shoulder.

"Shit!" She winced from the pain dropping the chloroform bottle. Luckily it had no effect on her from the vitality the void gave her. "What do you want?" She said putting her hands up in the air. "Just tell me what you want from me and let Oscar go." She felt a sickening mixture of hopelessness and the overwhelming want to kill Fredericks.

"I want you to burn." He said calmly in a sinister voice. "I want you to watch as I kill the man you love then I want to laugh as you die." He laughed and looked around at the overseers watching. When they gave no response he was quick to respond. "I'll burn this whole place to the fucking ground." He looked at Ava calming himself. "Do something." He snickered.

As the words escaped his mouth and fell upon Ava's ears, the raw power of the void within her obliged. She felt the earth beneath we her rumble and the wind pick up around her. She felt power course through her veins in time with the seconds that passed by. Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. She screamed and fell to her knees. She refused to let a sob escape her chest. Instead she stood up and stared Fredericks down with what she could only hope we're the eyes of the void itself.

"You idiot, now you just prove to everyone I was right all along." He snorted slowing inching away from Oscar. "You think anyone here will give you any pity?" He laughed.

"Shut up!" Ava screamed the wind picking up behind her. "You are the reason I'm like this!" She looked around to make sure everyone in earshot could her her. "Five days ago, I didn't have this power. Five days ago I didn't want this power, and I still don't! Unfortunately for me 5 days ago, 15 minutes before the fugue feast even began, you took its upon yourself to try to murder me with the very knife that made the fucking Outsider. UGH! The. Fucking. OUTSIDER!" She screamed reiterating the statement as she threw her hands in the air. "You gave me everything you were afraid I'd possess. And now, only one of us will walk out of here alive tonight." She said gravely focusing in on Fredericks.

As Fredericks was occupied staring at Ava Oscar stood up and began to undo the bindings in his feet. Once they were done he turned to his wrists.

"Look out!" James shouted from above

Oscar ducked from the incoming sword swing and threw his elbows hard at Fredericks as he came back up. Oscar ran over to James and let him cut the bindings apart. With freed hands a nearby Overseer tossed Oscar his sword.

Ava watched as the two of them fought back and forth matching each other's skills for what felt like an eternity. She watched as Oscar would cut Fredericks only to receive a new cut in return. Until finally someone lost their footing.

She watched helplessly as Oscar began to fall to the side. She searched his face for anything to say he was ok. He gave her a sorrowful smile as Fredericks lunged at his torso. Oscar swiftly cut off his left leg before falling to the ground with haggard breathing from the giant gash that tore open his chest.

Haskil and James stood over Fredericks with a swords drawn keeping him still.

"No. No, no, no, no. NO." She traversed to his side and held his wound hopelessly trying to slow the bleeding. "Come on Oscar, stay with me." She whispered as he caressed her face.

"I love you Ava Hedsworth." He whispered before coughing up blood.

"You can't leave me Oscar, I need you." She began to cry as she wiped the blood from his face. "You promised me," she said in a low whisper "promised that we would get married and start our life together, promised you'll always be here for me." she was wailing to him as he clung on to the last threads of his life.

"You're so strong." He said barely audible. "Always have been, always will be." His hand dropped to his side and Ava grabbed it. "I love you, Ava." He mouthed unable to speak as he let out his last breath out and succumbed to death.

"NO!" Ava screamed as she threw her head down on top of his chest and held on to him. As she collected herself she kissed his forehead before standing up. She turned her attention to Fredericks who was lying in his own pool of blood. "You don't get to die that easily." She said with a calm and collected voice, using her powers to hold him up in the air in a suspension. "I'm going to kill you." She said loudly as she clenched her fist and watched as Fredericks explode into a million tiny pieces. "And I'm going to like it." She whispered, shaking, so only James and Haskil could hear as she looked up to see the general reaction from everyone.

"Ava." James muttered as he threw his arms around her. Haskil stood by her and put a hand on her back. "Don't worry, we've got damage control." James said as she sobbed into his chest.

She couldn't speak, couldn't find a way to form a sentence so she escaped the hug and traversed away from it all. She wound up out back in the workshop where Oscar always worked.

She sat down on a nearby bench and began rocking as the tears streamed down her face. There's no way this was real. She thought of all the things she would say to him if he were there now. A bloodcurdling sob escaped her chest as she realized that he was gone.

After the pity and sadness came the anger. She stood up and tore the workshop apart knocking down shelves and ammo boxes as well as flipping tables and desks. She looked at the nearby music box that Oscar was fixing only a week ago and blew it apart with her powers. She let out a final scream as the power rose within her until it came out with a forces that blew everything around and shattered all of the windows.

She looked at the small nicks on her arms from the glass that had just flown around the room. She wiped a tear from her eye before traversing to her ledge to see what everyone down below was doing. She watched as Haskil and James began talking to the overseers that were watching.

"General consensus?" Haskil asked as James finished taking a vote.

"It's 46/4. This stays with us here tonight. And the four of you who would ever report Ava when that lunatic killed one of our own?" He shouted looking up at everyone. "Just know that the rest of us will bury you. No one deserves what was done to her, she doesn't want it and never deserved this." He said as everyone stood around.

"Well, what are you standing around for? Help us clean Fredericks off these fucking marble steps or get lost." Haskil screamed growing angry.

"What he means is you're all dismissed." James finished in a more diplomatic tone.

Ava sat there shaking and watched as people helped scrub the steps and put a sheet over Oscar and took him away. She sat there for hours crying until dawn began to break and Haskil finished dumping water to clear the steps.

"I knew I'd find you here." James said as he stepped out of the nearest window. She kept her head on her knees facing away from him. He sat down next to her and looked down below. "Ava that was the craziest shit I've ever seen and I've hunted down real witches." James began, she pulled her head and and shifted to face James. "Ava, I, I need you to talk to me." He felt a hitch in his throat.

"I don't care if you cry." Was all she could manage to say.

He shook his head wiping his eyes. "No, not now, not yet." He sniffed and put a hand on her back. "Armand's walking up now," he said pointing down below. "I'll give you a minute but please meet us in his office." James said standing up with a final sniff before heading back inside.

Ava blinked but no more tears would fall. She kept watch below as the sun gave more and more light into the courtyard below. The marble looked immaculate, it was as if nothing had happened, but of course her and 52 other overseers knew differently. She stood up and traversed into Armand's office so she wouldn't have to walk into anyone quite yet.

"Sorry." she whispered as she sat down next to James across from her was Armand and standing next to him was Haskil. She didn't look up from the floor. "Where is he." She asked as felt a grimace creep across her face.

"His body is waiting to be cremated." Armand spoke barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry, A." He stood up and walked over to her and knelt beside her chair. "Why didn't you tell me. I could have sent a search party to find Fredericks, could have tried to do something. Not to mention 'losing' that artifact." Armand said as Ava kept her focus on a small spot on the carpet.

"I hope it's lost forever." Haskil snorted his face contorted with anger.

"We just tell Khulan that we don't know what Overseer Fredericks did with it." James spoke up, back to his cool and collected self. "Say we had his apartment ransacked and found nothing." Haskil nodded in agreement.

"I'm leaving Dunwall." Ava spoke up finding her voice. "I served Ernest legal paper work about fathers part of their parents will, I did had it all sent 3 days ago in case I had to run. I'll have the money to go down and go in with Nathaniel to start a medical practice." She looked around.

"And what if he doesn't settle? Or what if he takes forever to settle?" Armand asked looking fearful at the prospect of losing her.

"I have enough money saved up to get a place and live off of for a couple years. I'll be fine." She said putting her hand on his. "I need out of this dull grey city, out of the Abbey." She sighed. "I'm leaving tonight."

"Stay at my apartment until you get your own." James said turning to her. "I'll head down with you." He said giving Armand some peace of mind.

Ava stood up and walked over to Haskil. "I love you Haskil, take care of Bauble." She whispered as she hugged him. She then turned back to Armand. "I'm sorry, I just have to leave." She said tears running down her face as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I know sweetheart." Armand whispered as he felt a tear fall.

"If I go to see Margo I don't think I'll be able to go through with this." She said into Armand's chest. "But I will, I'll go see her." She said pulling away.

"I love you so much Ava. And so does Margot. Please say goodbye." Armand told her.

"James can you meet at my house by 2 pm?" Ava asked turning to him.

"Yes, I'll be there." He gave her a small hug before she went to leave.

Without another word Ava left to collect Oscars things. Then she went home and washed the blood off of her and changed her clothes. For the rest of the morning Ava took all her money from the bank with a bank note and packed everything she would be taking with here. She went to the guys apartment to collect Oscars old dented mask. She traveled to her childhood home to say goodbye to the only mother she truly knew. Until finally heading back to her apartment to shower and pack her things.

"You sure you're ready for this?" James asked as he showed up to her house at 2 as planned. He was wearing a fresh uniform and shaved, she'd noticed as he helped with her luggage and the crate Higgs was in.

"More than you know." She said grabbing her remaining bags.

"I've booked passage on a navy ship, I'm making everyone head back down with me, and yes some of my men where there this morning." James said as they walked toward the carriage station. "Sorry, I know how you hate the smell of Overseer." He tried to joke.

Ava gave a half small smile. "We've survived worse."

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 ** _So, I'm thinking about making another story about Ava down in Karnaca after the events of DOTO. I just enjoyed writing this so much that I figured why not. Don't know all the details yet but let me know what you guys think._**

 _Thanks for listening!_


	20. Power

**This addition is just the first chapter in the second story, Power. In this story Ava will be trying to balance her new life in Karnaca with all of the problems the Voids 'lack of deity' has caused her. In it she and the Outsider will help each other out and try to find a way to keep the void from pulling at her. Hope you give it a read.**

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3rd Day Month of Wind 1852

Ava Hedsworth walked through the Cyria Gardens district with James Stovaski, on toward the Royal Conservatory. They walked in a comfortable silence as she battled with the idea of telling him about the strange dreams she'd been having. She paused deciding it best to do so, if only to talk to someone else about it.

"Everything ok?" James asked when he noticed she stopped.

"Do you remember that thing that happened to me in your office a little over a week and a half ago?" She inquired.

"You mean when your eyes went black and you fell to the ground and seized for four minutes and twenty-six seconds? Yeah I recall something like that." He said still in shock about what had happened. "I sat cradling your head as Romero held you down." He snorted, he'd been trying to get her to talk about it for the past week.

"Well I have had these insane dreams every single night since then." She started. "I'm in the void but it's not quite right." She sighed "I'm not alone either but it's not the Outsider there with me." She whispered. "I walk around until these weird things find me, and no matter how hard I try I can't hide from them, I can't get my powers to function right and then I'm cornered with no where to turn." She took a breath. "Then I can't move and it's like I'm entombed in my body. I scream but nothing escapes, and Then I wake up in a cold sweat." She finished looking at James.

"I wish I knew what to do." He whispered feeling helpless. "Have you actually been drawn into the void since this happened?" He ask curious.

"I don't know. I really can't tell." She said. "I'm scared." She admitted in a low voice.

"A, we will get through this." James said squeezing her shoulder. "I'm right here with you every step of the way. And Haskil is on his way down so he should be here in a few days. With Bauble." He added.

"You didn't tell me Haskil was coming down!" She exclaimed excited. "Yeah, I think that will help me feel better. We can go to the bar and bullshit like we used to." She smiled.

"Come on." He said starting to walk away. "Let's go piss off Cardoza." He whispered.

"He's just jealous you were made Vice Overseer." She smiled as they reached the checkpoint.

"I am the best, aren't I?" He joked as he signed a paper, then passed the clip board to Ava.

"More like, extremely lucky the chain of command was in shambles. And lucky you're mostly qualified." She joked as she handed the clipboard to the Overseer in charge of the checkpoint.

"Very true indeed, though I like to think I'm overqualified." He said with a cocky smile playing on his face.

"Wow, nice to see you guys have scaled back your bonfires and really just honed on in shoving the smell of incense down everyones throats." She said cocking an eyebrow at James.

"Well good thing all adjoining apartments and businesses are condemned until further notice." He snorted. "It is pretty bad though isn't it?" He whispered meriting a laugh from Ava.

"So what exactly is going on here? People still obsessing over the Cienfuegos thing?" She asked.

"Well that's part of the reason I'm here. Everything on the investigation went missing a little over a week ago. I had to come check in because neither the Abbey or The Oracular Order can keep order here without incident." He yelled the last part at a passing Overseer who whimpered a pathetic 'sorry' in response. "Ugh, shit." He sighed stopping in front of the entrance as an Overseer marched up to them.

"What is she doing here?" The man sneered at Ava. "I know the rumors." He pointed a finger, dangerously close to touching her.

"Wanna keep pointing that finger at me and see if there's any truth to them?" She said expressionless.

"Stop it. Now." James said speaking up. "Now, Brother Cardoza, do you have incident reports collected from all of your men as requested?"

"Yes, Vice Overseer" He offered as he glared at Ava. "I still have no idea how Sister Rosewyn and I were both incapacitated." He sighed and gave a scowl. "Sister Rosewyn is leaving at the end of the week. Now would like to talk more about this in private and I can give you the reports?" He stated rather than ask.

"First, I believe you owe Ava an apology." James gave an expectant look. "The daughter of the High Overseer deserves more respect than a finger to the chest."

"No, let him believe what he wishes." Ava cut James off. "I prefer my Overseers scared." She winked at Cardoza before turning toward James.

"Dismissed." James said in a very authoritative tone.

"What about the reports?" Cardoza inquired.

"I will get to them when I get to them. Dismissed." James said with a fake smile.

Cardoza walked off leaving Ava and James alone.

"What an ass." Ava snorted.

"That's the main reason Haskins coming down you know." James said folding his arms. "He's taking over here and Cardoza will be reporting to another post." He looked up the steps to see he'd made it into the courtyard.

"So, is Haskil being re-stationed down here?" Ava asked leaning up on the railing behind her.

"Not permanently but for the foreseeable future, yes. You know he's bringing that girl he's been seeing with him." James said low, gossiping.

"What's her name, Katherine?" Ava asked, James nodded. "Wow. I'm happy for him, I've always felt bad that we just left him in Dunwall after everything went down." Ava said as a pang of guilt ran through her.

"Tell me about it, you know he sold the old apartment." James looked down and smiled. "We had a lot of good times there."

"Remember The Hound Pits Pub? Back when we would close that place down?" She laughed. "Did you know Oscar had this fear that Haskil and I hated each other." She sighed.

"You guys used to fight all the time, I can hardly blame him for thinking that." James looked up at Ava.

"If only he could see us all now, I write to Haskil more than I write to my own parents." She admitted.

"They miss you, you know." James stated the obvious. "Armand told me he fears you blame him for what happened. For not catching on to Fredericks sooner. At least that's what he told me last time I went home." He finished.

"I just don't want to go back there. Not yet." Ava said feeling the hurt rose inside of her. She looked at her watch. "Shit, I have to head home I have dinner with Nathaniel tonight at 7:45. Some place in the Palace District." She said standing up straight.

"That's in a little over an hour and a half, you better head home." James said patting her shoulder and leading her back out of the checkpoint. "I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon, we can talk more then." James called to Ava as she headed out of Cyria Gardens to the nearest carriage station.

"Sure." Ava called back with a smile.

A twenty minute walk later she'd made it to her apartment building in the Upper Cyria District.. She unlocked the door and placed her bag on the nearby table.

"Hey little guy!" Ava said softly petting Higgs as he purred and rubbed against her. "You hungry?" She asked as she walked over to the kitchen and poured some food into his bowl. He meowed and started eating.

After feeding Higgs she walked through the small hallway past the bathroom and into her bedroom to get clothes before hopping in the shower. Once she was out of the shower she'd dried off and traversed into her bedroom, the only time she'd ever really used her powers anymore.

"That will have to do." She whispered to herself looking in the mirror before heading out of the room. As she closed the door and walked out to the living room she noticed a man standing in the doorway to her balcony. "Fuck." She whispered with an exasperated sigh.

"Hello, Ava." A familiar voice said as he turned and faced her.

"I'm dreaming, or having some weird hallucination. Another seizure maybe?" She whispered as shock paralyzed her body.

"I knocked but the door was unlocked. I locked it, never know what kind of people can sneak in." The Outsider said as he gave a wicked yet playful smile. He took a step toward Ava taking her hand and placing her fingers at the base of his neck. "Do I have a pulse now?" He gave a small laugh, all the while she was fixated on the bright green eyes studying her.

* * *

 _Thanks for Listening_


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